BV  4500  .M35  c.l 

Mather,  Cotton,  1663-1728 

Essays  to  do  good 


ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD; 


ADDRESSED 


TO    ALL    CBRXSTXASrSi 


WHETHER  IN 


PUBLIC   OR    PRIVATE    CAPACITIES. 


BY    THE    LATE 

REV.  COTTON  MATHER,  D.  D.  F.  R.  S. 


TO  DO  GOOD,  AND  TO  COMMUNICATE,  FORGET  NOT.^Ueb.  13  :  l«. 


PUBLISHED   BY   THE 

AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY, 

NO.  150  NASSAU-STREET,  NEW-YORK. 
D.  Fanshaw,  Printef. 


0GI7TSKTS. 


Page. 

Preface 5 

Much  occasion  for  doing  good 7 

The  excellence  of  well-doing 8 

The  reward  of  well-doing 10 

The  diligence  of  wicked  men  in  doing  evil    -        -        -  14 

The  true  nature  of  good  works       -        -        -         -        -  17 

On  seeking  opportunities  to  do  good      -        -        -        -  22 
METHODS  OF  DOING  GOOD. 

On  internal  piety  and  self-examination-        -         -  25 

On  doing  good  to  our  relations,  children,  &c.         -  31 

to  our  servants        -        -        -        -  44 

to  our  neighbors             -        -        -  48 

Private  meetings  for  religion          -        -        -        -  54 

Proposals  to  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel         -        -  60 

Directions  for  pastoral  visits 66 

Proposals  to  churches,  for  doing  good  -        -        -  73 

The  duties  of  schoolteachers           -        -        -        -  75 

physicians 79 

rich  men 86 

ladies 92 

Miscellaneous  proposals  to  gentlemen    -        -        -  93 

Proposals  to  lawyers       ------  99 

Conclusion     -        - -  103 


PKIQFACZS. 


The  following  Essays  were  first  published  by  Dr.  Gotten 
Mather,  at  Boston,  in  1710.  They  were  received  with  much 
approbation  by  Christians  in  England  and  Scotland,  as  well 
as  in  our  own  country.  The  various  methods  which  he  then 
proposed  of  doing  good,  derived  no  small  recommendation 
from  the  example  of  the  excellent  author,  whose  whole  life 
was  a  practical  comment  on  the  subject. 

From  his  earliest  years  he  discovered  a  love  to  religion. 
He  was  accustomed  to  read  fifteen  chapters  of  the  Bible 
daily,  and  his  habits  of  private  prayer  were  equally  remarka- 
ble. At  fourteen  he  kept  days  of  private  fasting  and  prayer. 
He  consecrated  one  tenth  of  his  little  income  to  pious  uses. 
At  sixteen  he  Avas  a  member  of  the  church. 

Even  at  this  early  period  of  life,  it  was  a  maxim  with  him, 
"  that  the  power  and  opportunity  to  do  good,  not  only  gives 
a  right  to  the  doing  of  it,  but  makes  the  doing  of  it  a  duty." 
He  determined,  accordingly,  to  act  upon  this  principle;  and 
he  continued  to  do  so  through  his  whole  life. 

In  all  the  various  relations  which  he  sustained  to  others 
around  him,  in  the  family  circle,  in  social  intercourse  with 
friends,  in  all  public  and  private  duties,  the  desire  to  do  good 
seemed  to  be  the  ruling  passion  of  his  life. 

He  w^as  most  scrupulously  diligent  in  the  improvement  of 
time.  He  understood  its  value,  and  in  order  to  redeem  it 
from  unprofitable  waste  by  tedious  visitors,  he  wrote  over 
his  study  door,  in  large  letters,  "  Be  short." 

His  biographer  details,  in  a  most  interesting  manner,  the 
multiplicity  of  his  devices  and  efforts  in  his  favorite  work  of 
doing  good.  It  seemed  to  be  his  principle,  to  let  no  day  pass 
without  conti-iving  something  useful,  or  without  devoting 
some  of  his  income  to  pious  and  benevolent  purposes. 

When  his  last  sickness  had  come,  which  was  in  1728,  in 
the  65th  year  of  his  age,  and  he  felt  a  strong  persuasion  that 
it  would  be  unto  death,  the  grand  desire  of  his  heart  was,  that 
"  his  own  will  might  be  entirely  sv/allowed  up  in  the  will  of 


PSIEFACE, 


The  following  Essays  were  first  published  by  Dr.  Gotten 
Mather,  at  Boston,  in  1710.  They  were  received  with  much 
approbation  by  Christians  in  England  and  Scotland,  as  well 
as  in  our  own  country.  The  various  methods  which  he  then 
proposed  of  doing  good,  derived  no  small  recommendation 
from  the  example  of  the  excellent  author,  whose  whole  life 
was  a  practical  comment  on  the  subject. 

From  his  earliest  years  he  discovered  a  love  to  religion. 
He  was  accustomed  to  read  fifteen  chapters  of  the  Bible 
daily,  and  his  habits  of  private  prayer  were  equally  remarka- 
ble. At  fourteen  he  kept  days  of  private  fasting  and  prayer. 
He  consecrated  one  tenth  of  his  little  income  to  pious  uses. 
At  sixteen  he  was  a  member  of  the  church. 

Even  at  this  early  period  of  life,  it  was  a  maxim  with  him, 
"  that  the  power  and  opportunity  to  do  good,  not  only  gives 
a  right  to  the  doing  of  it,  but  makes  the  doing  of  it  a  duty." 
He  determined,  accordingly,  to  act  upon  this  principle;  and 
he  continued  to  do  so  through  his  whole  life. 

In  all  the  various  relations  which  he  sustained  to  others 
around  him,  in  the  family  circle,  in  social  intercourse  with 
friends,  in  all  public  and  private  duties,  the  desire  to  do  good 
seemed  to  be  the  ruling  passion  of  his  life. 

He  was  most  scrupulously  diligent  in  the  improvement  of 
time.  He  understood  its  value,  and  in  order  to  redeem  it 
from  unprofitable  waste  by  tedious  visitors,  he  wrote  over 
his  study  door,  in  large  letters,  "  Be  short." 

His  biographer  details,  in  a  most  interesting  manner,  the 
multiplicity  of  his  devices  and  efforts  in  his  favorite  work  of 
doing  good.  It  seemed  to  be  his  principle,  to  let  no  day  pass 
without  contiiving  something  useful,  or  without  devoting 
some  of  his  income  to  pious  and  benevolent  purposes. 

When  his  last  sickness  had  come,  which  was  in  1728,  in 
the  65th  year  of  his  age,  and  he  felt  a  strong  persuasion  that 
it  would  be  unto  death,  the  grand  desire  of  his  heart  was,  tliat 
'•  his  own  will  might  be  entirely  swallowed  up  in  the  will  of 


6  PREFACE. 

God."  At  that  time  he  had  some  things  in  hand,  which  he 
would  gladly  have  lived  to  finish  ;  "  but,**  said  he,  "  I  desu'e 
to  have  no  will  of  my  own."  When  the  physician  intimated 
his  apprehensions  of  the  fatal  issue  of  his  disorder,  he  imme- 
diately said,  lifting  up  his  hands  and  eyes,  "  Thy  will  be  done 
on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven  !"  and,  a  few  hours  before  his  de- 
parture, said,  "  Now  I  have  nothing  more  to  do  here ;  my 
will  is  entirely  swallowed  up  in  the  will  of  God."  He  fre- 
quently expressed  the  good  hope  he  enjoyed,  "  that  he  was 
going  to  eat  the  bread  and  drink  the  water  of  life  freely  ;  that 
all  tears  would  soon  be  wiped  from  his  eyes  ;  that  it  was  im- 
possible he  should  be  lost ;  and  that  his  views  of  the  heavenly 
world  were  glorious." 

Such  a  life,  and  such  a  death,  will  afford  to  the  serious 
reader  a  powerful  recommendatittn  of  the  following  pages. 
The  proposals  for  doing  good  which  they  present,  are  not 
the  idle  speculations  of  an  ingenious  theorist,  but  the  faithful 
transcript  of  a  holy  life. 

A  curious  and  interesting  fact  is  related  by  Dr.  Franklin, 
as  to  the  influence  exerted  upon  himself  by  this  volume. 
When  in  France,  in  1779,  he  addressed  a  letter  to  Dr.  Ma- 
ther, son  of  our  author,  in  which  he  alludes  to  his  father's 
work  as  follows : 

"  Permit  me  to  mention  one  little  instance,  which,  though 
it  relates  to  myself,  will  not  be  quite  uninteresting  to  you. 
When  I  was  a  boy,  I  met  with  a  book  entitled  '  Essays  to 
do  Good,'  which  I  think  was  written  by  your  father.  It  had 
been  so  little  regarded  by  its  fomer  possessor,  that  several 
leaves  of  it  were  torn  out ;  but  the  remainder  gave  me  such  a 
turn  of  thinking,  as  to  have  an  influence  on  my  conduct 
through  life  ;  for  I  have  always  set  a  greater  value  on  the 
character  of  a  doer  of  good,  than  any  other  kind  of  reputa- 
tion ;  and  if  I  liave  been,  as  you  seem  to  think,  a  useful  citi- 
zen, the  public  owes  the  advantage  of  it  to  that  book." 

In  this  edition,  such  portions  of  the  original  Essays  are 
omitted,  and  such  changes  have  been  made  in  the  phraseo- 
logy, as  might  be  expected  after  the  lapse  of  more  than  a  cen- 
tury since  the  work  was  written. 


ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 


MUCH    OCCASION    FOR   DOING   GOOD. 

Glorious  things  are  spoken  in  the  Oracles  of  God, 
concerning  those  who  devise  good.  And  we  may  rea- 
sonably expect  that  a  Book  of  Good  Devices  will  meet 
with  a  grateful  reception  and  an  attentive  perusal  from 
all  the  friends  of  religion. 

It  is  a  sorrowful  reflection,  that  if  men  would  set 
themselves  to  devise  good,  a  world  of  good  might  be 
done  more  than  is  now  done  in  this  "present  evil  world." 
There  is  much  to  be  done,  in  order  that  the  great  God 
and  his  Christ  may  be  more  known  and  served  in  the 
world ;  and  that  the  errors  Avhich  prevent  men  from 
glorifying  their  Creator  and  Redeemer,  may  be  done 
away. 

Much  is  necessary  to  be  done,  that  the  evil  manners 
of  the  world,  by  which  men  are  drowned  in  perdition, 
may  be  reformed ;  and  mankind  be  purified  from  that 
universal  corruption  of  heart  and  of  life  which  has 
overwhelmed  them.  And  there  is  much  which  ought 
to  be  done  to  alleviate  the  miseries,  in  this  world,  of 
suffering  and  sorrow,  and  to  extend  relief  and  conso- 
lation to  the  wretched  children  of  want  and  of  wo. 
The  world  contains,  it  is  supposed,  about  eight  hun- 
dred millions  of  inhabitants.  What  an  ample  field  for 
doing  good ! 

In  a  word,  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  world  calls 


8  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

for  innumerable  services  from  us.  To  do  such  things 
is  to  do  good.  And  those  men  devise  good,  who  form 
plans  to  promote  the  happiness  of  their  fellow-beings 
in  this  world,  or  who  aim  to  supply  their  spiritual  ne- 
cessities, in  order  to  secure  their  everlasting  happiness 
in  the  world  to  come. 

Thus  the  sphere  of  usefulness  which  we  survey  is 
boundless,  and  the  means  of  doing  good,  which  may 
be  devised  and  adopted,  are  almost  infinitely  multiplied 
and  various. 

THE    EXCELLENCE    OF   WELL-DOING. 

It  may  be  presumed  that  my  readers  will  readily  ad- 
mit, that  it  is  an  excellent  thing  to  be  full  of  devices 
to  bring  about  such  noble  designs.  For  any  man  to 
deride  or  despise  my  proposal,  "That  we  resolve  and 
study  to  do  as  much  good  in  the  world  as  we  can," 
would  be  evidence  of  so  unworthy  a  character,  that  I 
am  almost  unwilling  to  suppose  its  existence.  Let  no 
man  pretend  to  the  name  of  a  Christian,  who  does  not 
approve  the  proposal  of  a  perpetual  endeavor  to  do 
good  in  the  world.  What  pretension  can  such  a  man 
have  to  be  a  follower  of  the  Good  One  ?  The  primi- 
tive Christians  gladly  accepted  and  improved  the  name, 
when  the  Pagans,  by  a  mistake,  styled  them  Chres- 
tians,  because  it  signified,  useful  ones..  The  Chris- 
tians who  have  no  ambition  to  be  such,  shall  be  con- 
demned by  the  Pagans ;  among  whom  it  was  a  title  of 
the  highest  honor  to  be  termed  "a  Benefactor:"  to 
have  done  good,  was  accounted  honorable.  The  phi- 
losopher being  asked  why  every  one  desired  to  gaze 
on  a  fair  object,  answered,  that  it  was  the  question  of 
a  blind  man.    If  any  man  ask  why  it  is  so  necessary 


THE    EXCELLENCE    OF   WELL-DOING,  9 

to  do  good ;  I  must  say,  it  sounds  not  like  the  question 
of  a  good  man.  Tlie  "  spiritual  taste  "  of  every  good 
man  will  give  him  an  unspeakable  relish  for  it.  Yea, 
unworthy  to  be  deemed  a  man,  is  he,  who  is  not  for 
doing  good  among  his  fellow-men.  An  enemy  to  the 
proposal,  "  that  mankind  may  be  the  better  for  us,"  de- 
serves to  be  reckoned  little  better  than  a  common  ene- 
my of  mankind.  How  cogently  do  I  bespeak  a  good 
reception  of  what  is  now  designed  !  I  produce  not  only 
religion,  but  even  humanity  itself,  as  full  of  a  "  fiery 
indignation  against  the  adversaries  "  of  the  design.  I 
am  sure  that  if  I  could  have  my  choice'  I  would  never 
eat,  or  drink,  or  walk  with  such  a  one,  as  long  as  I 
live ;  or  look  On  him  as  any  other  than  one  by  whom 
humanity  itselT-  is  debased  and  blemished.  A  very 
wacked  Avi*iter  has  yet  found  himself  compelled,  by  the 
force  of  reason,  to  publish  this  confession :  "  To  love 
the  public,  to  study  the  universal  good,  and  to  pro- 
mote the  interest  of  the  whole  world,  as  far  as  it  is  in 
our  power,  is  surely  the  highest  goodness,  and  consti- 
tutes that  temper  which  we  call  divine."  And  he  pro- 
ceeds :  "  Is  doing  good  for  the  sake  of  glory,  thus  di- 
vine?" (alas,  too  much  Jmman!)  "and  is  it  not  more 
divine  to  do  good,  even  where  it  may  be  thought  m- 
glorious — even  to  the  ungrateful,  and  to  those  who  are 
wholly  insensible  of  the  good  they  receive  ?"  A  man 
must  be  far  gone  in  wickedness  who  will  open  his 
mouth  against  such  maxims  and  actions!  A  better 
pen  has  remarked  it ;  yea,  the  man  must  be  much 
a  stranger  to  history,  who  has  not  made  the  remark : 
"To  speak  truth,  and  to  do  good,  were,  in  the  esteem 
even  of  the  heathen  world,  most  god-like  qualities." 
God  forbid  that  there  should  be  any  abatement  of  es- 
teem for  those  qualities  in  the  Christian  world  I 


10  ESSAYS   TO    DO   GOOD. 

THE    REWARD    OF   WELL-DOING. 

I  will  not  yet  propose  the  Reward  of  well-doing, 
and  the  glorious  things  which  the  mercy  and  truth  of 
God  will  perform  for  those  who  devise  good ;  because 
I  would  have  to  do  with  such  as  esteem  it  a  sufficient 
reward  to  itself.  I  will  suppose  my  readers  to  be  pos- 
sessed of  that  ingenuous  temper,  which  will  induce 
them  to  account  themselves  well  rewarded  in  the  thing 
itself,  if  God  will  permit  them  to  do  good  in  the  world. 
It  is  an  invaluable  honor  to  do  good ;  it  is  an  incom- 
parable pleasure.  A  man  must  look  upon  himself  as 
dignified  and  gratified  by  God,  when  an  opportunity 
to  do  good  is  put  into  his  hands.  He  must  embrace  it 
with  rapture,  as  enabling  him  to  answe*  the  great  end 
of  his  being.  He  must  manage  it  witlf  rapturous  de- 
light, as  a  most  suitable  business,  as  a  most  precious 
privilege.  He  must  "sing  in  those  ways  of  the  Lord," 
wherein  he  will  certainly  find  himself  while  he  is  do- 
ing good.  As  the  saint  of  old  sweetly  sang,  "I  was 
glad  when  they  said  unto  me,  let  us  go  into  the  house 
of  the  Lord ;"  so  ought  we  to  be  glad  when  any  oppor- 
tunity of  doing  good  is  presented  to  us.  We  should 
need  no  arguments  to  incline  us  to  entertain  the  oflfer; 
but  should  naturally  run  to  it,  as  most  agreeable  to  that 
"  divine  nature  "  of  which  we  are  made  partakers.  It 
should  gratify  us  wonderfully ;  as  much  as  if  an  ingot 
of  gold  were  presented  to  us.  We  should  rejoice  as 
having  obtained  the  utmost  of  our  wishes.  Some  ser- 
vants of  God  have  been  so  intent  on  this  object,  that 
they  have  cheerfully  proposed  to  make  any  recompense 
that  could  be  desired,  to  a  friend  who  would  supply 
the  barrenness  of  their  own  thoughts,  and  suggest  any 
special  methods  by  which  they  might  be  useful.     Cer- 


THE    REWARD    OF   WELL-DOING.  11 

tainly,  to  do  good,  is  a  thing  that  brings  its  own  recom- 
pense. I  will  only  say,  that  if  any  of  my  readers  do 
not  consider  themselves  enriched  and  favored  of  God 
when  he  employs  them  in  doing  good— with  such  per- 
sons I  have  done,  and  would  beg  them  to  lay  the  book 
aside :  it  will  be  irksome  to  carry  on  any  further  con- 
versation with  them.  I  will  be  content  with  one  of 
Dr.  Stoughton's  introductions :  "  It  is  enough  for  me 
that  I  speak  to  wise  men,  whose  reason  shall  be  my 
rhetoric ;  to  Christians,  whose  conscience  shall  be  my 
eloquence." 

Though  the  assertion  may  fly  like  chain-shot  among 
us,  and  rake  down  all  before  it,  I  will  again  and  again 
assert,  that  evenj  one  of  us  mio^ht  do  more  good  than 
he  does:  and  therefore  this  is  the  first  proposal  I  would 
make — to  be  exceedingly  humbled  that  we  have  done 
so  little  good  in  the  world.  I  am  not  uncharitable  in 
saying,  that  I  know  not  one  assembly  of  Christians  on 
earth,  which  ought  not  to  be  a  Bochim,  on  this  consi- 
deration. O  tell  me  where  I  shall  find  it !  Let  us  begin 
to  be  fi'uitful,  by  lamenting  our  past  unfruitfulness. 
Verily,  sins  of  omission  must  be  confessed  and  lament- 
ed, or  else  we  add  to  their  number.  The  most  useful 
men  in  the  world  have  gone  out  of  it,  crying,  "Lord, 
forgive  our  sins  of  omission!"  Many  a  good  man, 
who  has  been  peculiarly  conscientious  about  the  pro- 
fitable employment  of  his  time,  has  had  his  death-bed 
rendered  uneasy  by  this  reflection,  "The  loss  of  time 
now  lies  heavy  upon  me!"  Certain  it  is,  that  all  un- 
regenerate  persons  are  unprofitable  persons;  and  they 
are  properly  compared  to  "thorns  and  briers,"  to  teach 
us  what  they  are.  An  unrenewed  sinner!  alas,  he 
never  performed  one  good  work  in  all  his  life  I  In  all 
his  life,  did  I  say  ?   I  recal  that  word.     He  is  "  dead 


12  ESSAYS   TO   DO    GOOD. 

while  he  liveth  " — he  is  "dead  in  sin;"  he  has  not  yet 
begun  to  "live  unto  God;"  and  as  he  is  himself  dead, 
so  are  all  his  works ;  they  are  "  dead  works."  O  wretch- 
ed, useless  being !  Wonder,  wonder  at  the  patience  of 
Heaven,  which  yet  forbears  to  cut  down  such  "  a  cum- 
berer  of  the  ground!"  O  that  such  persons  may  im- 
mediately acknowledge  the  necessity  of  turning  to 
God !  O  that  they  may  cry  to  God  for  his  sovereign 
grace  to  quicken  them ;  and  let  them  plead  the  sacri- 
iice  of  Christ  for  their  reconciliation  to  God ;  seriously 
resolve  on  a  life  of  obedience  to  God,  and  resign  them- 
selves up  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  he  may  lead  them  in 
the  paths  of  holiness !  No  good  will  be  done,  till  this 
be  done.  The  Jirst-born  of  all  devices  to  do  good,  is  in 
being  bo7^7i  again. 

But  as  for  you,  who  have  been  brought  home  to 
God,  you  have  great  cause  not  only  to  lament  the  dark 
days  of  your  unregeneracy,  in  which  you  produced 
only  "  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,"  but  also  that 
you  have  done  so  little  since  God  has  quickened  you 
and  enabled  you  to  do  better.  How  little  have  you 
lived  up  to  those  strains  of  gratitude  which  might 
justly  have  been  expected  from  you  since  God  brought 
you  into  his  "  marvellous  light !"  The  best  of  us  may 
mourn  in  his  complaints,  and  say,  "  O  Lord,  how  little 
good  have  I  done,  compared  with  what  I  might  have 
done !"  Let  the  sense  of  this  cause  us  to  loathe  and 
judge  ourselves  before  the  Lord ;  let  it  fill  us  with 
shame,  and  abase  us  wonderfully.  Let  us,  like  David, 
"  water  our  couch  with  tears,"  when  we  consider  how 
little  good  we  have  done.  "  O  that  our  heads  were 
waters,"  because  they  have  been  so  dry  of  all  thoughts 
to  do  good.  "  O  that  our  eyes  were  a  fountain  of  tears," 
because  they  have  looked  out  so  little  for  occasions  to 


REWARD    OF   WELL-DOING.  13 

do  good.  For  the  pardon  of  this  evil-doing  let  us  fly- 
to  the  great  sacrifice,  and  plead  the  blood  of  that 
"  Lamb  of  God,"  whose  universal  usefulness  is  one  of 
those  admirable  properties  on  account  of  which  he  is 
styled  "  a  Lamb."  The  pardon  of  our  unfruitfalness 
ill  doing  good  being  thus  obtained,  we  shall  be  rescued 
from  condemnation  to  perpetual  imfruitfulness.  The 
dreadful  sentence,  "  Let  no  fruit  grow  on  thee  for 
ever,"  will  thus  be  prevented.  A  true  evangelical  com- 
mencement in  the  work  of  doing  good,  must  have  this 
repentance  as  the  foundation  of  it.  We  do  not  "  han- 
dle the  matter  wisely,"  if  a  foundation  be  not  laid  thus 
low,  and  in  the  deepest  self-abasement. 

How  full  of  devices  are  we  for  our  own  secular  ad- 
vantage !  and  how  expert  in  devising  many  little  things 
to  be  done  for  ourselves  I  We  apply  our  thoughts  with 
mighty  assiduity  to  t!ie  old  question,  "  What  shall  we 
eat  and  drinl^,  and  wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed  ?" 
With  strong  application  of  mind  we  inquire.  What 
shall  we  do  for  ourselves,  in  our  voyages,  in  our  bar- 
gains ?  We  anxiously  contrive  to  accomplish  our  plans, 
and  avoid  numerous  inconveniences,  to  which,  with- 
out some  contrivance,  we  should  be  subjected.  We 
carry  on  the  business  of  our  personal  callings  with 
numberless  thoughts  how  to  perform  them  well,  and 
to  effect  our  temporal  affairs  we  "  find  out  witty  inven- 
tions." But,  O  rational,  immortal,  heaven-born  soul, 
are  thy  wondrous  faculties  capable  of  no  greater  im- 
provements, no  better  employments  ?  Why  should  a 
soul  of  such  high  capacities,  a  soul  that  may  be  clothed 
in  the  "  scarlet"  of  angels,  yet  "  embrace  a  dunghill?" 
O  let  a  blush,  deeper  than  scarlet,  be  thy  clothing,  for 
being  found  so  meanly  occupied.  Alas,  in  the  mul- 
titude of  thy  thoughts  within  thee,  hast  thou  no  dispo- 
2. 


14  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

sition  to  raise  thy  soul  to  some  such  thoughts  as  these : 
What  may  be  done  for  God,  for  Christ,  for  my  own 
soul,  and  for  the  most  important  interests  of  mankind  ? 
How  many  hundreds  of  thoughts  have  we  for  our- 
selves, to  one  for  God,  his  cause,  and  his  people  in  the 
world!  How  then  can  we  pretend  that  we  love  him, 
or  prove  that  a  carnal,  a  criminal  self-love,  has  not  the 
dominion  over  us  ?  I  again  come  to  a  soul  of  hea- 
venly birth,  and  smite  it,  as  the  angel  smote  the  sleep- 
ing prisoner,  and  cry,  "  Awake  !  shake  off  thy  chains. 
Lie  no  longer  fettered  in  a  base  confinement !  Assert 
the  liberty  of  thinking  on  the  noblest  question  that  can 
be  asked,  "  What  good  may  I  do  in  the  world?''''  There 
was  a  time  when  it  was  lamented  by  no  less  a  man 
than  Gregory  the  Great,  "  I  am  sunk  into  the  world  !" 
Such  may  be  the  complaint  of  a  soul  that  minds  every 
thing  else,  and  yet  rarely  recollects  this  noblest  ques- 
tion. Ah  !  "  star  fallen  from  heaven"  and  choked  in 
dust,  rise  and  soar  up  to  something  answerable  to  thy 
origin.  Begin  a  course  of  thoughts  which  will  be  like 
a  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  pursue  the  grand 
inquiry,  "  How  may  I  become  a  blessing  to  the  world  ?" 
and  "  What  may  I  do,  that  righteousness  may  dwell 
on  the  earth  ?" 

THE    DILIGENCE    OF   WICKED    MEN    IN    DOING    EVIL. 

How  much  mischief  may  be  done  by  one  wicked 
man !  Yea,  sometimes  one  wicked  man,  of  slender 
abilities,  becoming  an  indefatigable  tool  of  the  devil, 
may  effect  incredible  mischief  in  the  world.  We  have 
seen  some  wretched  instruments  ply  the  intention  of 
doing  mischief  at  a  strange  rate,  till  they  have  ruined 
a  whole  country.  It  is  a  melancholy  consideration, 
and  I  may  say,  an  astonishing  one — you  will  hardly 


DILIGENCE    OF    THE    WICKED.  15 

find  one  of  a  thousand  v/ho  does  half  so  much  to  serve 
God  and  his  own  soul,  as  you  may  see  done  by  thou- 
sands to  serve  the  world  and  the  devil.  A  horrible 
thing ! 

"  O  my  soul,  thy  Maker  and  thy  Savior,  so  worthy 
of  thy  love ;  a  Lord,  wlM)se  infinite  goodness  will  fol- 
low all  thou  dost  for  him  with  remunerations  beyond 
all  conception  glorious ;  how  little,  how  little  is  it  that 
thou  dost  for  him  !  At  the  same  time  look  into  thy 
neighborhood.  See  there,  in  the  circle  of  your  obser- 
vation, some  monster  of  wickedness,  who,  to  his  utter- 
most, will  serve  a  master  that  will  prove  a  destroyer 
to  him,  and  whose  wages  will  be  death  :  he  studies 
how  to  serve  the  devil ;  he  is  never  weary  of  his  drud- 
gery ;  he  racks  his  invention  to  go  through  with  it. 
Ah  !  he  shames  me  ;  he  shames  me  wonderfully  !  O  my 
God,  I  am  ashamed,  and  blush  to  lift  up  my  face  unto 
thee." 

We  read  of  a  man  "  who  deviseth  mischief  upon  his 
bed;  who  setteth  himself  in  a  way  that  is  not  good." 
Now,  why  should  not  we  be  as  active,  as  frequent,  as 
forward  in  devising  good  ?  Why  should  not  we  be  as 
wise  to  do  good  as  he  is  to  do  evil  ?  1  am  sure  that 
we  have  a  better  cause,  and  better  reasons  for  it. 
Reader,  though  perhaps  thou  art  one  who  makest  but 
a  little  figure  in  the  world,  "  a  brother  of  low  degree," 
yet,  behold  a  vast  encouragement !  a  little  man  may 
do  a  great  deal  of  harm ;  and  pray,  why  may  not  a 
little  man  do  a  great  deal  of  good  ?  It  is  possible  that 
"  the  wisdom  of  a  poor  man"  may  start  a  proposal 
which  may  "  save  a  city,"  serve  a  nation  !  The  strength 
of  a  single  hair,  applied  to  a  wheel  that  has  other  wheels 
depending  on  it,  may  pull  up  an  oak,  or  pull  down  a 
house. 


16  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

It  is  very  observable,  that  M^hen  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  would  recommend  zeal  for  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, he  did  not  propose  for  our  imitation  the  example 
of  honest  wisdom ;  no,  but  that  of  an  unrighteous  and 
scandalous  dishonesty — that  of  the  unjust  steward. 
The  Wisdom  of  our  Lordherenn  is  much  to  be  observed. 
His  design  is  not  only  to  represent  the  prudence,  but 
the  industry,  the  ingenuity,  the  resolution,  the  heroic 
efforts  of  the  soul,  necessary  in  those  who  would  seek 
and  serve  the  kingdom  of  God.  We  seldom,  if  ever, 
perceive  among  men  that  vivacity  of  spirit  in  lawful 
actions,  which  we  observe  in  unlawful  ones.  The 
ways  of  honesty  are  plain,  and  require  not  so  much 
pains  in  pursuing  them ;  but  your  thieves  and  cheats 
follow  courses  that  are  full  of  difficulties;  the  turns 
and  tricks  which  they  require  are  innumerable :  hence 
you  find  among  such  people  the  exercise  of  extraordi- 
nary subtilty — you  find  no  such  cunning  and  applica- 
tion any  where  else.  How  emphatical  then  is  it,  to 
borrow  from  these  the  colors  of  heavenly  wisdom ! 
What  I  aim  at  is  this.  Let  us  try  to  do  good  with  as 
much  application  of  mind  as  wicked  men  employ  in 
doing  evil.  When  "  wickedness  proceeds  from  the 
wicked,"  it  is  done  "  with  both  hands,  and  greedily." 
Why  then  may  not  we  proceed  in  our  useful  engage- 
ments "  with  both  hands,"  and  "  greedily"  watching 
for  opportunities  ?  We  have  no  occasion  for  any  sinis- 
ter arts  in  effecting  our  designs  ;  God  forbid  that  we 
should  ever  attempt  the  union  of  such  inconsistences. 
But  why  cannot  we  prosecute  our  designs  with  as  much 
deep  and  copious  thought  as  the  men  of  evil  arts'? 
And  why  may  we  not  engage  our  minds  with  as  trans- 
porting a  vigor  to  do  what  is  acceptable  to  God  and 
profitable  to  men,  as  those  wretches  manifest  when 
they  '•  weary  themselves  to  commit  iniquity?" 


NATURE  OF  GOOD  WORKS.  17 

To  reprove  certain  -ecclesiastical  drones,  who  had 
little  inclination  to  do  good,  Father  Latimer  used  a 
coarse  expression  to  this  effect :  "  If  you  will  not  learn 
of  good  men,  for  shame,  learn  of  the  devil ;  he  is  never 
idle."  Indeed,  the  indefatigable  prosecution  of  their 
designs,  who  are  styled  "  the  children  of  the  devil," 
may  put  us  to  the  blush.  Our  obhgations  to  do  good 
are  infinite  :  they  do  evil  against  all  obligations.  The 
reward  which  will  be  made  to  them  who  do  good  m 
encouraging  beyond  calculation :  they  who  do  evil  will 
get  nothing  to  boast  of;  but  "  evil  pursueth  sinners." 
If  the  devil  "  go  about,"  and  the  people  inspired  by 
him  "go  about"  seeking  what  harm  they  may  do; 
why  may  not  we  go  about,  and  think,  and  seek  where 
and  how  we  may  do  good  ?  Verily,  it  were  worthy  of 
an  angel  so  to  do  !  O  thou  child  of  God,  and  lover  of 
all  righteousness,  how  canst  thou  find  in  thy  heart,  at 
any  time,  to  cease  from  doing  all  the  good  that  can  be 
done,  in  "  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord  ?"  Methinks, 
that  passage  of  God's  word  may  be  a  burden  to  us, 
and  if  we  have  a  sense  of  honor  in  us,  will  be  so  : 
•'  The  children  of  this  world  are,  in  (and  for)  their 
generation,  wiser  than  the  children  of  light ;"  yea,  they 
pursue  "the  works  of  darkness"  more  vigorously  than 
any  of  us  "  walk  in  that  light"  with  which  our  great 
Savior  hath  favored  us. 

THE  TRUE  NATURE  OF  GOOD  WORKS. 

To  the  title  of  Good  Works  belong  those  essays  to 
do  good,  which  we  are  now  urging.  To  produce  them, 
the  Jirst  thing,  and  indeed  the  one  thing  needful,  is,  a 
glorious  work  of  grace  on  the  soul,  renewing  and 
quickening  it,  purifying  the  sinner,  and  rendering  him 
"  zealous  of  good  works  " —   a  workmanship  of  God 


18  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

upon  us,  "  creating  us  anew,  by  Jesus  Christ,  for  good 
works."  And  then,  there  is  needful,  what  will  neces- 
sarily follow  such  a  work — a  disposition  to  perform 
good  works,  on  true,  genuine,  generous,  and  evange- 
lical principles.  These  principles  must  be  stated  be-' 
fore  we  proceed. 

In  the  first  place,  it  must  be  taken  for  granted  that 
the  end  for  which  we  perform  good  works  is  not  to 
provide  the  matter  of  our  justification  before  God:  in- 
deed, no  good  works  can  be  done  till  we  are  justified ; 
before  a  man  is  united  to  Christ,  who  is  our  hfe,  he  is 
a  dead  man,  and  what  good  works  can  be  expected 
from  him  ?  "  Without  me,"  saith  our  Lord,  "  ye  can 
do  nothing."  The  justification  of  a  sinner  by  faith, 
before  good  works,  and  in  order  to  them,  is  one  of  those 
doctrines  which  may  say  to  the  popish  innovations, 
"  With  us  are  the  gray-headed,  and  very  aged  men, 
much  elder  than  thy  father."  It  was  an  old  maxim 
of  the  faithful,  "  Good  works  follow  justification ;  they 
do  not  precede  it."  It  is  the  righteousness  of  the  good 
works  done  by  our  Savior  and  surety,  not  our  own, 
that  justifies  us  before  God,  and  answers  the  demands 
of  his  holy  law  upon  us.  By  faith  we  lay  hold  on  those 
good  works  for  our  justifying  righteousness,  before 
we  are  able  to  perform  our  own.  It  is  not  our  faith 
itself,  either  as  producing  good  works,  or  being  itself 
one  of  them,  which  entitles  us  to  the  justifying  righte- 
ousness of  our  Savior  :  it  is  faith,  renouncing  our  own 
righteousness,  and  relying  on  that  of  Christ  provided 
for  the  chief  of  sinners,  by  which  we  are  justified. 
All  our  attempts  at  good  works  will  come  to  nothing, 
till  a  justifying  faith  in  tho  Savior  shall  carry  us  forth 
unto  them.  This  was  the  divinity  of  the  ancients. 
Jerome  has  well  expressed  it,  "  Without  Christ  all 
virtue  is  but  vice." 


NATURE  OF  GOOD  WORKS.  19 

Nevertheless,  first,  you  are  to  look  upon  it  as  a  glo- 
rious truth  of  the  Gospel,  that  the  moral  law  (which 
prescribes  good  works)  must,  by  every  Christian  alive, 
be  the  rule  of  his  life.  "  Do  we  make  void  the  law 
through  faith  ?  God  forbid :  yea,  we  establisli  the  law." 
The  rule  by  which  we  are  to  glorify  God  is  given  us 
in  that  law  of  good  works  which  we  enjoy  (I  will  so 
express  it)  in  the  ten  commandments.  It  is  impossi- 
ble for  us  to  be  released  from  obligations  to  glorify  God 
by  a  conformity  to  this  ritle :  sooner  shall  we  cease  to 
be  creatures.  The  conformity  to  this  rule,  in  the  righ- 
teousness which  our  Savior  by  his  obedience  to  it  has 
brought  in  to  justify  us,  has  for  ever  "magnified  the 
law  and  made  it  honorable."  Though  our  Savior  has 
furnished  us  with  a  perfect  and  spotless  righteousness, 
when  his  obedience  to  th3  law  is  placed  to  our  account ; 
yet  it  is  sinful  in  us  to  fall  short  in  our  personal  obe- 
dience to  the  law.  We  must  ahvays  judge  and  loathe 
ourselves  for  the  sin.  We  are  not  under  the  law  as  a 
covenant  of  works :  our  own  exactness  in  performing 
good  works  is  not  now  the  condition  of  entering  into 
life.  Wo  be  to  us  if  it  were.  But  still,  the  covenant 
of  grace  holds  us  to  it  as  our  duty  ;  and  if  we  are  in 
the  covenant  of  grace,  we  shall  make  it  our  study  to 
perform  those  good  works  which  were  once  the  con- 
dition of  entering  into  life.  "  Every  law  of  religion 
still  remains."  Such  must  be  the  esteem  for  the  law 
of  good  works,  for  ever  retained  in  justified  persons; 
a  law  never  to  be  abrogated  or  abolished. 

And  then,  secondly,  though  we  are  justified  by  "  pre-^ 
cious  faith  in  the  righteousness  of  God  our  Savior," 
yet  good  works  are  required  of  us  to  justify  our  faith," 
to  demonstrate  that  it  is  indeed  "precious  faith."  A 
justifying  faith  is  a  jewel  which  may  be  counterfeit- 
ed :  but  the  marks  of  a  faith  which  is  not  a  counter- 


20  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

feit,  are  to  be  found  in  those  good  works  to  which  a 
servant  of  God  is,  by  his  faith,  inclined  and  assisted. 
It  is  by  the  regenerating  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
that  faith  is  wrought  in  the  hearts  of  the  chosen 
people :  now  the  same  grace  which  in  regeneration  dis- 
poses a  person  to  fly  by  faith  to  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  will  dispose  him  also  to  the  good  works  of  a 
Christian  life ;  and  the  same  faith  which  applies  to  the 
Savior  for  an  interest  in  his  righteousness,  will  also 
apply  to  him  for  strength  tg  perform  the  good  works 
which  are  "ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them." 
If  our  faith  be  not  of  this  kind,  it  is  a  lifeless  faith,  and 
will  be  without  good  fruits.  A  workless  faith  is  a 
worthless  faith. 

Reader,  suppose  thyself  standing  before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ !  anecessary,  a  prudent  supposition : 
it  ought  to  be  a  very  frequent  one.  The  Judge  de- 
mands, "What  hast  thou  to  plead  for  a  portion  in  the 
blessedness  of  the  rigliteous?"  The  plea  must  be, 
"O  my  glorious  Judge,  thou  hast  been  my  sacrifice. 
O  thou  Judge  of  all  the  earth,  permit  dust  and  ashes 
to  say,  my  righteousness  is  on  the  bench.  Surely,  in 
the  Lord  have  I  righteousness.  O  my  Savior,  I  have 
received  it,  I  have  secured  it  on  thy  own  gracious  offer 
of  it."  The  Judge  proceeds:  "But  what  hast  thou  to 
plead  that  thy  faith  should  not  be  rejected  as  the  faith 
of  the  hypocrite?"  Here  the  plea  must  be,  "O  Lord, 
my  faith  was  thy  work.  It  was  a  faith  which  disposed 
me  to  all  the  good  works  of  thy  holy  religion.  It  sanc- 
tified me.  It  brought  me  to  thee,  my  Savior,  for  grace 
to  perform  the  works  of  righteousness:  it  embraced 
thee  for  my  Lord  as  well  as  Savior:  it  caused  me,  with 
sincerity,  to  love  and  keep  thy  commandments,  and 
with  assiduity  to  serve  the  interests  of  thy  kingdom  in 
the  world." 


NATURE  OF  GOOD  WORKS.  21 

Thus  you  have  Paul  and  James  reconciled.  Thus 
you  have  good  works  provided  for.  The  aphorism  of 
the  physicians  is,  "By  a  man's  outward  acts  of  vigor, 
you  judge  of  his  internal  health."  The  actions  of  men 
are  more  certain  indications  of  what  is  within,  than  all 
their  sayings. 

But  there  is  yet  another  consideration  upon  which 
you  must  be  zealously  affected  to  good  works.  You 
must  consider  them  as  a  'part  of  the  great  salvatio7i 
which  is  purchased  for  you  by  Jesus  Christ.  Without 
a  holy  heart  you  cannot  be  fit  for  a  holy  heaven,  "meet 
for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  that  light "  which 
admits  no  works  of  darkness,  where  none  but  good 
works  are  done  for  eternal  ages.  But  a  holy  heart  will 
induce  a  man  to  do  good  with  all  his  heart.  The  mot- 
to on  the  gates  of  the  holy  city  is,  "None  but  the 
lovers  of  good  works  to  enter  here:"  this  is  implied 
in  what  we  read,  "  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see 
the  Lord ;"  yea,  to  be  saved  without  good  works,  were 
to  be  saved  without  salvation.  Much  of  our  salvation 
consists  in  doing  good  works.  Heaven  is  begun  upon 
earth  when  we  are  so  engaged  ;  and  doubtless,  no  man 
will  get  to  heaven  who  is  not  so  persuaded. 

I  shall  mention  but  one  more  of  those  principles  from 
which  good  works  proceed:  it  is  that  noble  one.  Grati- 
tude. The  believer  cannot  but  inquire,  "What  shall  I 
render  to  my  Savior  ?"— the  result  of  the  inquiry  will 
be,  "with  good  works  to  glorify  him."  We  read,  that 
"  faith  worketh  by  love."  Our  faith  will  discover  the 
matchless  and  marvellous  love  of  God  in  saving  us ; 
and  the  faith  of  this  love  wall  work  on  our  hearts,  till 
it  hath  raised  in  us  an  unquenchable  flame  of  love  to 
him  who  hath  so  loved  and  saved  us.  These,  these 
are  to  be  our  dispositions:  "O  my  Savior!  hast  thou 


22  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

done  so  much  for  me !  now  will  I  do  all  I  can  for  thy 
kingdom  and  people  in  the  world.  O I  what  service 
is  there  that  I  may  now  perform  for  my  Savior  and 
his  people  in  the  world  ?" 

These  are  the  principles  to  be  proceeded  on ;  and  it 
is  worthy  of  special  observation,  that  there  are  no  men 
in  the  world  who  so  much  abound  in  good  works,  as 
those  who,  above  all  others,  have  abandoned  every  pre- 
tension to  the  merit  of  their  works.  No  merit-mon- 
gers have  exceeded  some  holy  Christians,  who  have 
performed  good  works  on  the  assurance  of  being  al- 
ready justified,  and  entitled  to  eternal  life. 

I  observe  that  our  apostle,  throwing  a  just  contempt 
on  the  endless  genealogies,  and  long,  intricate  pedigrees 
which  the  Jews  of  his  time  dwelt  so  much  upon,  pro- 
poses in  their  stead,  "  Charity,  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and 
a  good  conscience,  and  faith  unfeigned :"  as  if  he  had 
said,  "  1  will  give  you  a  genealogy  worth  ten  thousand 
of  theirs," — first,  from  faith  unfeigned  proceeds  a  good 
conscience ;  from  a  good  conscience  a  pure  heart ;  and 
from  a  pure  heart,  charity  to  all  around  us.  It  is  ad- 
mirably stated ! 

OPPORTUNITIES   TO    DO    GOOD. 

Our  opportunities  to  do  good  are  our  talents.  An 
awful  account  must  be  rendered  to  the  great  God  con- 
cerning the  use  of  the  talents  with  which  he  has  in- 
trusted us  in  these  precious  opportunities.  Frequently 
we  do  not  use  our  opportunities,  because  we  do  not 
consider  them :  they  lie  by  unnoticed  and  unimproved. 
We  read  of  a  thing  which  we  deride  as  often  as  we 
behold  it.  "  There  is  that  maketh  himself  poor,  and 
yet  hath  great  riches."     This  is  too  frequently  exem- 


OPPORTUNITIES   TO    DO   GOOD  23 

plified  in  our  opportunities  to  do  good,  which  are  some 
of  our  most  valuable  riches.  Many  a  man  seems  to 
reckon  himself  destitute  of  these  talents,  as  rf  there 
were  nothing  for  him  to  do ;  he  pretends  that  he  is  not 
in  a  condition  to  do  any  good.  "  Alas !  poor  man,  what 
can  I  do  ?"  So  he  reasons  with  himself.  My  friend, 
think  again  ;  think  frequently:  inquire  what  your  op- 
portunities are:  you  will  certainly  find  them  to  be 
more  than  you  were  aware  of.  "Plain  men  dwelling 
in  tents,"  persons  of  a  very  ordinary  rank  in  life,  may, 
by  their  eminent  piety,  prove  persons  of  extraordinary 
usefulness.  A  poor  John  Urich  may  make  a  Grotius 
the  better  for  him.  I  have  read  of  a  pious  weaver,  of 
whom  some  eminent  persons  would  say,  "  Christ  walk- 
ed, as  it  were,  alive  on  the  earth  in  that  man."  A  mean 
mechanic — who  can  tell  what  an  engine  of  good  he 
may  become,  if  humbly  and  wisely  devoted  to  it  ? 

This,  then,  is  the  next  Proposal.  Without  abridging 
yourselves  of  your  occasional  thoughts  on  the  question, 
"  What  good  may  I  do  to  day  ?"  fix  a  time,  now  and 
then,  for  more  deliberate  thoughts  upon  it.  Cannot 
you  find  time  (say,  once  a  week;  and  how  suitably  on 
the  Lord's  day, )  to  take  this  question  into  consideration : 

What  is  there  that  I  may  do  for  the  service  of  the  glo- 
rious Lord,  and  for  the  welfare  of  those  for  whom  I  ought 
to  he  concerned? 

Having  implored  the  direction  of  God,  "  the  Father 
of  lights,"  consider  the  matter  in  the  various  aspects 
of  it.  Consider  it,  till  you  have  resolved  on  something. 
Write  down  your  resolutions.  Examine  what  precept 
and  what  promise  you  can  find  in  the  word  of  God  to 
countenance  your  resolutions.  Review  these  memo- 
rials at  proper  seasons,  and  see  how  far  you  have  pro- 


24  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

ceeded  in  the  execution  of  them.  The  advantages  of 
these  preserved  and  revised  memorials,  no  rhetoric  will 
be  sufficient  to  commend,  no  arithmetic  to  calculate. 
There  are  some  animals  of  which  we  say,  "  They  know 
not  their  own  strength ;"  Christians,  why  should  you 
be  like  them  ? 


3HBTB[02)S  OF   BOIKG   &0OP. 

Let  us  now  descend  to  Particulars  ;  but  let  it  not 
be  si^posed  that  I  pretend  to  an  enumeration  of  all  the 
good  devices  that  may  be  conceived.  Not  a  thousandth 
part  of  them  can  now  be  enumerated.  The  essay  I 
am  making  is  only  to  dig  open  the  several  springs  of 
usefulness,  Avhich,  having  once  begun  to  flow,  will 
spread  into  streams,  that  no  human  foresight  can  com- 
prehend. "  Spring  up,  O  well  I''  will  every  true  Israel- 
ite sing,  upon  every  proposal  here  exhibited ;  and  "  the 
nobles  of  Israel "  can  do  nothing  more  agreeable  to  their 
own  character,  than  to  fall  to  work  upon  it.  Perhaps 
every  proposal  that  may  be  made,  will  be  like  a  stone 
falling  into  a  pool — one  circle  and  service  will  produce 
another,  till  they  extend — who  can  tell  how  far  ?  Those 
who  devote  themselves  to  good  devices,  and  who  duly 
observe  their  opportunities  to  do  good,  usually  find  a 
wonderful  increase  of  their  opportunities.  The  gra- 
cious providence  of  God  affords  this  recompense  to 
his  diligent  servants,  that  he  will  inultiply  their  oppor- 
tunities of  being  serviceable  ;  and  when  ingenious  men 
have  used  themselves  to  a  little  contrivance  in  pursu- 
ing the  best  intentions,  their  ingenuity  will  sensibly 
improve,  and  there  will  be  more  expansion  in  their  dif- 


PERSONAL   PIETY.  25 

fusive  applications.  Among  all  the  dispensations  of  a 
special  Providence  in  the  government  of  the  world,, 
none  is  less  interrupted  than  the  accomplishment  of 
that  word,  "  Unto  him  that  hath  shall  be  given."  O 
useful  man!  take  for  thy  motto,  "To  him  that  hath, 
shall  be  given ;"  and,  in  a  lively  use  of  the  opportuni- 
ties to  do  good,  see  how  remarkably  it  will  be  accom- 
plished ;  see  what  accomplishment  of  that  word  will 
at  last  surprise  thee,  "  Though  thy  beginning  be  small, 
yet  thy  latter  end  shall  greatly  increase." 

ON    INTERNAL    PIETY    AND    SELF-EXAMINATION. 

Why  should  not  the  charity  of  which  we  are  treat- 
ing "  begin  at  home  ?"  It  observes  not  a  due  decorum, 
if  it  doth  not ;  and  it  will  be  liable  to  great  exceptions 
in  its  pretensions  and  proceedings.  "  Call  not  that 
man  wise  whose  wisdom  begins  not  at  home."  This, 
then,  is  to  be  made  an  early  proposal. 

First,  Let  every  man  devise  what  good  may  be  done 
for  the  correction  of  what  is  yet  amiss  in  his  own  heart 
AND  life.  It  is  a  good  remark  of  Fuller,  "  He  need 
not  complain  of  too  little  v/ork,  who  hath  a  little  world 
in  himself  to  mend."  It  was  of  old  complained,  "  No 
man  repented  him,  saying,  What  have  I  done  ?"  Every 
man  upon  earth  may  find  in  himself  something  that 
wants  correcting ;  and  the  work  of  repentance  is  to  in- 
quire, not  only  "what  we  have  done,"  but  also  "  what 
we  have  to  do."  Frequent  self-examination  is  the  duty 
of  all  who  would  know  themselves,  or  would  not  lose 
themselves.  The  great  intention  of  self-examination 
is  to  find  out  the  points  wherein  Ave  are  to  "  amend 
our  ways."  A  Christian  that  would  thrive  in  Chris- 
tianity miist  be  no  stranger  to  a  course  of  meditation. 
3 


26  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

This  is  one  of  the  masters  which  are  requisite  to  make 
a  "  man  of  God."  One  article  and  exercise  in  our  me- 
ditation should  be  to  find  out  the  things  wherein  a 
greater  conformity  to  the  truths  upon  which  we  have 
been  meditating,  may  be  attempted.  If  we  Avould  be 
good  men,  we  must  often  devise  how  we  may  grow  in 
knowledge  and  in  all  goodness.  Such  an  inquiry  as 
this  should  often  be  made,  "What  shall  I  do,  that 
what  is  yet  lacking  in  the  image  of  God  upon  me  may 
be  perfected  ?  What  shall  I  do  that  I  may  live  more 
perfectly,  more  watchfully,  more  fruitfully  before  my 
glorious  Lord?" 

And  why  should  not  our  meditation,  when  we  retire 
to  that  profitable  engagement,  conclude  with  some 
resolution?  Devise  now,  and  resolve  something  to 
strengthen  your  walk  with  God. 

With  some  devout  hearers  of  the  word  it  is  a  prac- 
tice, when  they  have  heard  a  sermon,  to  think,  "What 
good  thing  have  I  now  to  ask  of  God  with  a  peculiar 
importunity  ?"  They  are  also  accustomed  to  call  upon 
their  children,  and  make  them  answer  this  question, 
"  Child,  what  blessing  will  you  now  ask  of  the  glorious 
God?"  After  which,  they  charge  them  to  go  and  do 
accordingly. 

In  pursuance  of  this  piety,  why  may  not  this  be  one 
of  the  exercises  which  shall  conspire  to  form  a  good 
evening  for  the  best  of  days  ?  Let  it  be  a  part  of  our 
work  on  the  Lord's-day  evening,  seriously  to  ask  our- 
selves the  following  question  :  "  If  I  should  die  this 
week,  what  have  I  left  undone  which  I  should  then 
wish  I  had  been  more  diligent  in  performing?"  My 
friend,  place  thyself  in  dying  circumstances;  appre- 
hend and  realize  thy  approaching  dissolution.  Sup- 
pose thy  last,  solemn  hour  arrived  ;  th}?^  breath  failing, 


PERSONAL   PIETY.  27 

thy  throat  rattling,  thy  hands  with  a  cold  sweat  upon 
them:  in  this  condition,  "What  wouldst  thou  wish  to 
have  done  more  than  thou  hast  already  don6  for  thy 
own  soul,  for  thy  family,  or  for  the  people  of  God  ?" 
Think  upon  this  question,  and  do  not  forget  the  result 
of  thy  thoughts ;  do  not  delay  to  perform  what  thou 
hast  resolved  upon.  How  much  more  agreeable  and 
profitable  would  such  an  exercise  be  on  the  Lord's-day 
evening,  than  those  vanities  to  which  that  evening  is 
not  unfrequently  prostituted,  and  by  which  all  the 
good  of  the  past  day  is  defeated  !  And  if  such  an  ex- 
ercise were  often  performed,  O  how  would  it  regulate 
our  Hves:  how  watchfully,  how  fruitfully  would  it 
cause  us  to  live;  what  an  incredible  number  of  good 
works  would  it  produce  in  the  world  ! 

Will  you  remember,  Reader,  that  every  Christian  is 
a  "  temple  of  God  ?"  It  would  be  of  great  service  to 
Christianity,  if  this  notion  of  its  true  nature  were  more 
frequently  and  clearly  cultivated.  But  certainly  there 
yet  remains  very  much  for  every  one  of  us  to  do,  that 
the  temple  may  be  carried  on  to  perfection ;  that  it 
may  be  repaired,  finished,  purified,  and  the  topstone  of 
it  laid,  with  shoutings  of  "grace,  grace!"  unto  it. 

As  a  branch  of  this  piety,  I  will  recommend  a  serious 
and  fruitful  improvement  of  the  various  dispensations 
of  Divine  Providence  which  we  have  occasion  to  no- 
tice. More  particularly :  have  you  received  any  spe- 
cial blessings  and  mercies  from  the  hand  of  God? 
You  do  not  suitably  express  your  thankfulness ;  you 
do  not  render  again  according  to  the  benefit  that  is 
done  unto  you,  unless  you  set  yourself  to  consider, 
"What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord?"  You  should 
contrive  some  signal  tiling  to  be  done  on  this  occasion  ,• 
some  service  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  either  within 


28    .  ESSAYS   TO    DO    GOOD. 

yourself,  or  among  others,  which  may  be  a  just  con- 
fession and  memorial  of  what  a  gracious  God  has  done 
for  you.  This  is  an  action,  to  which  the  "  goodness  of 
God  leadeth  you."  And  I  would  ask,  how  can  a  good 
voyage,  or  a  favorable  contract  be  made  without  some 
special  returns  of  gratitude  to  God  ?  I  would  have  a 
portion  of  your  property  made  a  thank-offering,  by 
being  set  apart  for  pious  uses. 

Whole  days  of  thanksgiving  are  to  be  kept,  when 
the  favors  of  God  rise  to  a  more  observable  height. 
Christians  of  the  finer  mold  keep  their  private  ones, 
as  well  as  bear  part  in  the  public  services.  One  ex- 
ercise for  such  a  day  is,  to  take  a  list  of  the  more  re- 
markable succors  and  bounties  with  which  our  God 
has  comforted  us  ;  and  then  to  contrive  some  suitable 
acknowledgments  of  him,  in  endeavors  to  serve  him ; 
and  this  by  way  of  gratitude  for  these  undeserved 
comforts. 

On  the  other  hand,  you  meet  with  heavy  and  griev- 
ous afflictions.  Truly,  it  is  a  pity  to  be  at  the  trouble 
of  suffering  afflictions,  and  not  get  good  by  them.  We 
get  good  by  them,  when  they  awaken  us  "  to  do  good ;" 
and  I  may  say,  never  till  then  .  When  God  is  distribu- 
ting sorrows  to  you,  the  sorrows  still  come  upon  some 
errands ;  therefore  the  best  way  for  you  to  find  that 
they  do  not  come  in  his  anger,  is  to  consider  what  the 
errands  may  be.  The  advice  is,  that  when  any  afflic- 
tion comes  upon  you,  you  immediately  reflect,  "  To 
w^hat  special  act  of  repentance  does  this  affliction  call 
me?  What  miscarriage  does  this  affliction  find  in  me, 
to  be  repented  of?"  And  then,  while  the  sense  of  the 
affliction  is  yet  upon  you,  seriously  inquire,  "To  what, 
improvement  in  holiness  and  usefulness  does  this  afflic- 
tion call  me?"    Be  more  solicitous  to  gain  this  point 


PERSONAL   PIETY.  29 

than  to  escape  from  your  affliction.  O  the  peace  that 
will  compose,  possess,  and  ravish  your  mind,  when 
your  afflictions  shall  be  found  yielding  these  "  fruits 
of  righteousness !" 

Luther  did  well  to  call  afflictions  "  the  theology  of 
Christians."  This  may  be  a  proper  place  to  introduce 
one  direction  more.  We  are  traveling  through  a  ma- 
licious, a  calumnious,  and  abusive  world.  Why  should 
not  malice  be  a  "good  informer?"  We  may  be  un- 
justly defamed :  it  will  be  strange  if  we  are  not  fre- 
quently so.  A  defamation  is  commonly  resented  as  a 
provocation.  My  friend,  make  it  only  a  provocation 
to  good  works  .  The  thing  to  be  now  directed  is  this : 
Upon  any  reproach  being  offered,  instead  of  being 
transported  into  a  rage,  as  David  was  tempted  to  be 
against  Shimei,  retire  and  patiently  inquire,  "  Has  not 
God  bidden  such  a  reproach,  to  awaken  me  to  some 
duty  ?  To  what  special  service  of  piety  should  I  be 
awakened  by  the  reproach  which  is  cast  upon  me  ?" 
One  thus  expresses  it :  "  The  backbiter's  tongue,  like 
a  mill-clack,  will  be  still  in  motion,  that  he  may  grind 
thy  good  name  to  powder.  Learn,  therefore,  to  make 
such  use  of  his  clack  as  to  make  thy  bread  by  it ;  I 
mean,  so  to  live,  that  no  credit  shall  be  given  to  slan- 
der." Thus  all  the  abuses  you  meet  with  may  prove 
to  you,  in  the  hand  of  a  faithful  God,  no  other  than 
the  strokes  which  a  statuary  employs  on  his  ill-shaped 
marble,  only  to  form  you  into  a  more  beautiful  shape, 
and  make  you  fitter  to  adorn  the  heavenly  temple. 
Thus  you  are  informed  of  a  way  to  "  shake  off  a  viper" 
most  advantageously .  Yea,  I  am  going  to  inform  you 
how  you  may  fetch  sweetness  out  of  a  viper.  There- 
fore, first,  I  propose  that  our  former  barrenness  may 
now  be  looked  upon  as  an  obligation  and  incitement  to 
3* 


30  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

greater  fruitfulness.  But  this  motion  is  too  general ; 
I  must  be  more  particular.  I  would  look  back  on  my 
past  life,  and  call  to  mind  what  singular  acts  of  sin 
have  blemished  it,  and  been  the  reproach  of  my  youth. 
Now,  by  way  of  thankfulness  for  that  grace  of  God 
and  that  blood  of  his  Christ,  through  which  my  crimes 
have  been  pardoned,  I  would  set  myself  to  think, 
"  What  virtues,  what  actions,  and  what  achievements 
for  the  kingdom  of  God,  will  be  the  most  contrary  to 
ray  former  blemishes  ?  And  what  efforts  of  goodness 
will  be  the  noblest  and  most  palpable  contradiction  to 
the  miscarriages  with  which  I  have  been  chargeable  ?" 
Yet  more  particularly,  "  What  signal  thing  shall  I  do, 
to  save  others  from  dishonoring  the  great  God  by  such 
miscarriages  as  those  into  which  I  myself  once  fell?" 
I  will  study  such  things — and  perhaps  the  sincerity 
and  consolation  of  repentance  cannot  be  better  studied 
than  by  such  a  conduct. 

Give  me  leave  to  press  this  one  more  point  of  pru- 
dence upon  you.  There  are  not  a  few  persons  who 
have  many  hours  of  leisure  in  the  way  of  their  per- 
sonal callings.  When  the  weather  takes  them  off  from 
their  business,  or  when  their  shops  are  not  full  of  cus- 
tomers, they  have  little  or  nothing  to  do.  Now,  Reader, 
the  proposal  is,  Redeem  this  time  to  your  own  advan- 
tage, to  the  best  advantage.  To  the  man  of  leisure,  as 
well  as  to  the  minister,  it  is  an  advice  of  wisdom, 
"  Give  thyself  unto  reading."  Good  books  of  all  sorts 
may  employ  your  leisure,  and  enrich  you  with  trea- 
sures more  valuable  than  those  procured  in  your  usual 
avocations.  Let  the  baneful  thoughts  of  idleness  be 
chased  out  of  your  mind.  But  then,  also,  let  some 
thoughts  on  that  subject,  "  What  good  may  I  do  ?" 
succeed  them.    When  you  have  leisure  to  think  on 


TO    RELATIVES.  31 

that  subject,  you  can  have  no  excuse  for  neglecting 
so  to  do. 

ON  DOING  GOOD  TO  OUR  RELATIONS,  CHILDREN,  &C. 

The  useful  man  may  now  with  much  propriety  ex- 
tend and  enlarge  the  sphere  of  his  exertion.  My  next 
proposal  therefore  shall  be.  Let  every  man  consider  the 
RELATION  in  which.  God,  the  sovereign  Ruler,  has 
placed  him ;  and  let  him  devise  what  good  he  may  do, 
that  may  render  his  Telatives  the  better  for  him.  One 
great  way  to  prove  ourselves  really  good,  is  to  be  re- 
latively good.  It  is  by  this,  more  than  by  any  thing 
else,  that  we  "  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Savior." 
It  would  be  a  piece  of  excellent  wisdom  in  a  man,  to 
make  the  interests  which  he  has  in  the  good  opinion 
and  affection  of  any  individuals,  an  advantage  for  doing 
good  to  them.  He  that  has  a  friend,  will  show  himself 
friendly  indeed,  if  he  think,  "  Such  a  one  loves  me, 
and  will  hearken  to  me ;  to  what  good  shall  I  take  ad- 
vantage from  hence  to  persuade  him?" 

This  will  take  place  more  particularly  where  the  en- 
dearing ties  of  natural  affection  give  us  an  interest. 
Let  us  call  over  the  several  relations  we  sustain,  and 
let  us  devise  something  that  may  be  called  heroical 
goodness,  in  discharging  their  duties.  Why  should  we 
not,  at  least  once  or  twice  a  week,  make  these  relative 
duties  the  subject  of  our  inquiries  and  of  our  purposes  ? 
Especially,  let  us  begin  with  domestic  relations^  and 
"  provide  for  those  of  our  own  house,"  lest  we  deny 
some  glorious  rules  and  hopes  of  the  Christian  faith, 
by  our  negligence. 

In  the  CONJUGAL  relation,  how  agreeably  may  they, 
who  are  thus  united,  think  on  these  words :  "  What 
knowest  thou,  O  wife,  whether  thou  shalt  save  thy 


32  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

husband?  or,  how  knowest  thou,   O  man,  whether 
thou  shalt  save  thy  wife  ?" 

The  HUSBAND  will  do  well  to  think,  "  What  shall  I 
do  that  my  wife  may  have  cause  for  ever  to  bless  God 
for  having  brought  her  to  me  ?"  And,  "  What  shall  I 
do,  that,  in  my  deportment  toward  my  wife,  the  kind- 
ness of  the  blessed  Jesus  tow^ard  his  church  may  be ' 
exemplified  ?" 

But  then  the  wife  also  will  do  well  to  inquire, 
"  Wherein  may  I  be  to  my  husband  a  wife  of  that 
character — '  She  will  do  him  good  and  not  evil  all  the 
days  of  her  life  V  " 

With  my  married  friends  I  will  leave  this  excellent 
remark :  "  Family  passions  cloud  faith,  disturb  duty, 
darken  comfort."  You  will  do  the  more  good  to  one 
another,  the  more  this  sentence  is  -considered.  W^hen 
the  husband  and  the  wife  are  always  contriving  to  be 
blessings  to  each  other,  I  will  say  with  Tertullian, 
"  Wliere  shall  I  find  words  to  describe  the  happiness 
of  that  state  ?"     O  happy  marriage ! 

Parents  !  how  much  ought  you  to  be  devising  for 
the  good  of  your  children !  Often  consider  how  to 
make  them  "  wise  children ;"  how  to  give  them  a  de- 
sirable education,  an  education  that  may  render  them 
desirable ;  how  to  render  them  lovely  and  polite,  and 
serviceable  to  their  generation.  Often  consider  how 
to  enrich  their  minds  with  valuable  knowledge ;  how 
to  instil  into  their  minds  generous,  gracious,  and  hea- 
venly principles;  how  to  restrain  and  rescue  them 
from  the  "  paths  of  the  destroyer,"  and  fortify  them 
against  their  peculiar  temptations.  There  is  a  world 
of  good  that  you  have  to  do  for  them.  You  are  with- 
out the  natural  feelings  of  humanity,  if  you  are  not 
in  a  continual  agony  to  do  for  them  all  the  good  that 


TO    RELATIVES.  33 

lies  in  your  power.  It  was  no  mistake  of  an  ancient 
writer,  in  saying,  "  Nature  teaches  us  to  love  our  chil- 
dren as  ourselves." 

I  will  prosecute  the  subject,  by  transcribing  a  copy 
of  PARENTAL  RESOLUTIONS,  whicli  I  havc  somcwhere 
met  with.* 

1.  At  the  birth  of  my  children,  I  will  resolve  to  do 
all  I  can  that  they  may  be  the  Lord's.  I  will  now  ac- 
tually give  them  up  by  faith  to  God,  entreating  that 
each  child  may  be  a  child  of  God  the  Father,  a  subject 
of  God  the  Son,  and  a  temple  of  God  the  Spirit ;  that 
it  may  be  rescued  from  the  condition  of  a  child  of 
wrath,  and  be  possessed  and  employed  by  the  Lord,  as 
an  everlasting  instrument  of  his  glory. 

2.  As  soon  as  my  children  become  capable  of  at- 
tending to  my  instructions,  I  will  frequently  say  to 
each  of  them,  Child,  God  has  sent  his  Son  to  die,  that 
you  may  be  saved  from  sin  and  from  hell.  Now,  you 
must  not  sin  against  him.  To  sin,  is  to  do  a  very 
wicked  thing.  You  must  every  day  cry  to  God  that 
he  would  be  your  Father,  your  Savior,  your  Leader. 
Child,  you  must  renounce  the  service  of  Satan ;  you 
must  not  follow  the  vanities  of  this  world ;  you  must 
lead  a  life  of  serious  religion. 

3.  Let  me  daily  pray  for  my  children  with  the 
greatest  constancy  and  fervency;  yea,  let  me  daily 
mention  each  of  them  by  name  before  the  Lord.  I 
would  importunately  beg  for  all  suitable  blessings  to 
be  bestowed  upon  them ;  that  God  would  give  them 
grace,  and  give  them  glory,  and  withhold  no  good 
thing  from  them ;  that  God  would  smile  on  their  edu- 

^  Probably  composed  by  the  author  himself,  though  ex- 
pressed in  this  modest  manner. 


34  ESSAYS   TO    DO    GOOD. 

cation,  and  give  his  good  angels  charge  over  them, 
and  keep  them  from  evil,  that  it  may  not  grieve  them ; 
that  when  their  father  and  mother  shall  forsake  them, 
the  Lord  may  take  them  up.  Most  earnestly  would  I 
plead  that  promise  in  their  behalf,  "  Our  heavenly  Fa- 
ther will  give  his  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him." 

0  happy  children,  if,  by  asking,  I  may  obtain  the  Holy 
Spirit  for  them ! 

4.  I  would  early  entertain  the  children  with  delight- 
ful stories  out  of  the  Bible.     In  familiar  conversation 

1  would  go  through  the  Bible,  when  the  "  olive  plants 
about  my  table"  are  capable  of  being  so  watered.  But 
I  would  always  conclude  the  history  by  some  lessons 
of  piety,  to  be  inferred  from  them. 

5.  I  would  single  out  some  scriptural  sentences  of  the 
greatest  importance;  and  some  also  that  contain  special 
antidotes  to  the  common  errors  and  vices  of  children. 
They  will  easily  get  these  golden  sayings  by  heart. 
Such  sentences  as  the  following  : 

Psalm  111  :  10. — The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  begin' 
ning  of  wisdom. 

Matthew,  16  :  26. — What  is  a  man  profited  if  he  gain 
the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul? 

1  Timothy,  1  :  15. — Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief. 

Matthew,  6  :  6. — Enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when 
thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father,  which  is 
in  secret. 

Ecclesiastes,  12  :  14. — God  shall  bring  every  work 
into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing. 

Ephesians,  4  :  25. — Put  away  lying,  speak  every 
one  the  truth. 

Psalm  138  :  6.— The  Lord  hath  respect  unto  the 
lowly,  but  the  proud  he  knoweth  afar  off. 


TO   RELATIVES.  35 

Romans,  12  :  17-19.— Recompense  to  no  one  evil 
for  evil.     Dearly  beloved,  avenge  not  yourselves. 

Nehemiah,  13  :  18.— They  bring  wrath  upon  Israel, 
by  profaning    the  Sabbath. 

A  Jewish  treatise  tells  us,  that  among  the  Jews,  when 
a  child  began  to  speak,  the  father  was  bound  to  teach 
him  that  verse,  Deut.  33  :  4,  "  Moses  commanded  us  a 
law,  even  the  inheritance  of  the  congregation  of  Jacob." 
O  let  me  betimes  make  my  children  acquainted  with 
the  law  which  our  blessed  Jesus  has  commanded  us ! 
It  is  the  best  inheritance  I  can  give  them. 

6.  I  would  cause  my  children  to  learn  some  evange- 
lical catechism.  In  catechising  them,  I  would  break 
the  answer  into  many  small  and  appropriate  ques- 
tions ;  and  by  their  answers  to  them,  observe  and 
quicken  their  understandings.  I  would  connect  wilh 
every  truth  some  duty  and  practice,  and  expect  them 
to  confess  it,  consent  to  it,  and  resolve  upon  it.  As  we 
go  on  in  our  catechising,  they  shall,  when  the}^  are  able, 
turn  to  the  proofs,  read  them,  and  inform  me  ichat  they 
prove,  and  in  what  manner.  Then  I  will  watch  an  op- 
portunity to  put  more  nice  and  difficult  questions  to 
them,  and  improve  the  times  of  conversation  with  my 
family,  for  conference  on  religious  subjects. 

7.  I  would  be  anxious,  till  I  may  be  able  to  say  of 
my  children.  Behold,  they  pray !  I  would  therefore 
teach  them  to  pray.  But,  after  they  have  learned  a 
form  of  prayer,  I  will  press  them  to  proceed  to  points 
which  are  not  in  their  form.  I  will  show  them  the 
state  of  their  own  souls,  and  on  every  discovery  will 
inquire  of  them  what  they  think  ought  now  to  be  their 
prayer.  I  will  direct  them  every  morning  to  take  one 
or  two  texts  out  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  and  thence 
to  form  a  desire,  which  they  shall  add  to  their  usual 


ob  ESSAYS   TO    DO   GOOD. 

prayer.  When  they  have  heard  a  sermon,  I  will  re- 
peat to  them  the  main  subject  of  it,  and  ask  them  there- 
upon, what  they  have  now  to  pray  for.  I  will  charge 
them,  with  all  possible  cogency,  to  pray  in  secret;  and 
often  say  to  each  of  them.  Child,  I  hope  you  do  not 
forget  my  charge  to  you  about  secret  prayer ;  yoiu' 
crime  is  very  great  if  you'do. 

8.  I  would  betimes  do  what  I  can  to  produce  a  tem- 
per of  benignity  in  my  children,  both  toward  one 
another  and  toward  all.  I  will  instruct  them  how  rea- 
dy they  should  be  to  communicate  to  others  a  part  of 
what  they  have ;  and  they  shall  not  want  for  encour- 
agement, when  they  discover  a  loving,  courteous,  and 
benevolent  disposition.  1  will  give  them  now  and  then 
a  piece  of  money,  that  with  their  own  little  hands 
they  may  dispense  something  to  the  poor.  Yea,  if  any 
one  has  hurt  or  vexed  them,  I  will  not  only  forbid  all 
revenge,  but  will  also  oblige  them  to  do  a  kindness,  as 
soon  as  possible,  to  the  vexatious  person.  All  coarse- 
ness of  language  or  behavior  in  them  I  will  discoun- 
tenance. 

9.  I  would  be  solicitous  to  have  my  children  expert, 
not  only  at  reading  with  propriety,  but  also  at  writ- 
ing a  fair  hand.  I  will  then  assign  them  such  books 
to  read,  as  I  may  judge  most  agreeable  and  profitable, 
obliging  them  to  give  me  some  account  of  what  they 
read;  but  will  keep  a  strict  eye  on  what  they  read,  lest 
they  should  stumble  on  the  devil's  library,  and  poison 
themselves  with  foolish  romances,  novels,  plays,  songs, 
or  jests,  "  that  arc  not  convenient."  I  will  direct  them, 
also,  to  write  out  such  things  as  may  be  of  the  great- 
est benefit  to  them ;  and  they  shall  have  their  blank 
books,  neatly  kept,  on  purpose  to  enter  such  passages 
as  I  recommend  to  them.    I  will  particularly  require 


TO   RELATIVES.  37 

them  now  and  then  to  compose  a  Prayer,  and  bring  it 
to  me,  that  so  I  may  discern  what  sense  they  have  of 
their  own  everlasting  interests. 

10.  I  wish  that  my  children  may,  at  a  very  early 
period,  feel  the  principles  of  reason  and  honor  working 
in  them ;  and  that  I  may  proceed  in  their  education, 
chiefly  on  those  principles.  Therefore  I  will  wholly 
avoid  that  fierce,  harsh  usage  of  the  children,  that 
Avould  make  them  dislike  and  tremble  to  come  into  my 
presence.  I  would  treat  them  so,  that  they  shall  fear 
to  offend  me,  and  yet  heartily  love  to  see  me.  and  be 
glad  of  my  returning  home  when  I  have  been  abroad. 
I  would  have  it  considered  as  a  severe  and  awful  pun- 
ishment for  a  crime  in  the  family,  to  be  forbidden  for 
a  while  to  come  into  my  presence.  I  would  excite  in 
them  a  high  opinion  of  their  father's  love  to  them,  and 
of  his  being  better  able  to  judge  what  is  good  for  them, 
than  they  are  for  themselves.  I  would  bring  them  to 
believe  that  it  is  best  for  them  to  be  and  to  do  as  I 
would  have  them.  Hence  I  would  continually  insist 
upon  it,  how  charming  a  thing  it  is  to  know  the  things 
that  are  excellent,  and  how  much  better  still  to  do  the 
things  that  are  virtuous.  I  wish  them  to  propose  to 
themselves,  as  a  reward  of  good  behavior :  "I  will  now 
go  to  my  father,  and  he  will  teach  me  something  that 
I  never  knew  before."  I  would  have  them  afraid  of 
doing  any  base  thing,  from  a  horror  of  the  baseness 
there  is  in  it.  My  first  animadversion  on  a  smaller 
fault,  shall  be  an  exclamation  of  surprise  and  wonder, 
vehemently  expressed  before  them,  that  ever  they 
should  be  guilty  of  doing  so  foolishly,  with  an  earnest 
expectation  that  they  will  never  do  the  like  again.  I 
will  also  endeavor  to  .excite  in  them  a  weeping  reso- 
lution to  this  effect.  I  will  never  use  corporeal  pun- 
4 


38  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

ishmentj  except  it  be  for  an  atrocious  crime,  or  for  a 
smaller  fault  obstinately  persisted  in.  I  would  ever 
proportion  chastisements  to  faults;  not  punish  severely 
for  a  very  small  instance  of  childishness,  and  only 
frown  a  little  for  some  real  wickedness.  Nor  shall  my 
chastisements  ever  be  dispensed  in  passion  and  fury ; 
but  I  will  first  show  them  the  command  of  God,  by 
transgressing  which,  they  have  displeased  me.  The 
slavish,  boisterous  manner  of  education  too  commonly 
used,  I  consider  as  no  small  article  in  the  wrath  and 
curse  of  God  upon  a  miserable  world. 

11.  As  soon  as  we  can,  we  will  advance  to  still  high- 
er principles.  I  will  often  tell  the  children  what  cause 
they  have  to  love  a  glorious  Christ  who  has  died  for 
them ;  how  much  he  will  be  pleased  with  their  well- 
doing ;  and  what  a  noble  thing  it  is  to  follow  his  ex- 
ample, which  example  I  will  describe  to  them.  I  will 
often  tell  them  that  the  eye  of  God  is  upon  them;  that 
he  knows  all  they  do,  and  hears  all  they  speak.  I  will 
frequently  remind  them  that  there  will  be  a  time,  when 
they  must  appear  before  the  holy  Lord;  and  that  they 
must  noiD  do  nothing  which  may  then  be  a  source  of 
grief  and  shame  to  them.  I  will  set  before  them  the 
delights  of  that  heaven  which  is  prepared  for  pious 
children;  and  the  torments  of  that  hell  which  is  pre- 
pared for  wicked  ones.  I  will  inform  them  of  the  kind 
offices  which  the  good  angels  perform  for  children  who 
fear  God,  and  are  afraid  of  sin  ;  how  the  devils  tempt 
them  to  do  bad  things ;  how  they  hearken  to  evil  spi- 
rits, and  are  like  them  when  they  do  such  things;  what 
mischiefs  these  evil  spirits  may  obtain  permission  to 
do  in  the  world,  and  how  awful  it  would  be  to  dwell 
among  the  devils,  in  the  "place  of  dragons."  I  will 
cry  to  God,  that  he  may  make  them  feel  the  power  of 
these  principles. 


TO    RELATIVES.  S9 

12.  When  the  children  are  of  a  proper  age  for  it,  I 
will  sometimes  have  them  with  me  alone,  and  converse 
with  them  abont  the  state  of  their  souls,  their  expe- 
riences, their  proficiency,  their  temptations;  obtain 
their  declared  consent  to  every  article  in  the  covenant 
of  grace ;  and  then  pray  with  them,  earnestly  entreat- 
ing that  the  Lord  would  bestow  his  grace  upon  them, 
and  thus  make  them  witnesses  of  the  agony  with  which 
I  am  travailing  to  see  the  image  of  Christ  formed  in 
them.  Certainly  they  will  never  forget  such  exercises 
as  these ! 

13.  I  would  be  very  watchful  and  cautious  about 
the  companions  of  my  children.  I  would  be  very  in- 
quisitive to  learn  what  company  they  keep.  If  they 
are  in  danger  of  being  ensnared  by  vicious  company, 
I  will  earnestly  pull  them  out  of  it,  as  "brands  out  of 
the  burning ;"  and  will  try  to  procure  for  them  fit  and 
useful  associates. 

14.  As  in  catechising  the  children,  so  in  the  repe- 
tition of  the  public  sermons,  I  would  use  this  method: 
i  would  put  every  truth  into  the  form  of  a  question, 
to  be  answered  in  such  a  manner  as  to  awaken  their 
attention,  as  well  as  enlighten  their  understandings. 
And  thus  I  shall  have  an  opportunity  to  ask.  Do  you 
desire  such  and  such  a  grace  ?  with  other  similar  ques- 
tions. Yea,  I  may  by  this  means  have  an  opportunity 
to  demand,  and  perhaps  to  obtain  their  early,  frequent, 
and,  I  would  hope,  sincere  consent  to  the  glorious  ar- 
ticles of  the  new  covenant.  The  Spirit  of  grace  may 
fall  upon  them  in  this  action,  and  they  may  be  sancti- 
fied by  him,  and  possessed  by  him  as  his  temples, 
through  eternal  ages. 

15.  When  a  day  of  humiliation  arrives,  I  will  make 
them  know  the  meaning  of  the  day;  and  after  some 


40  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

time  given  lliem  to  consider  of  it,  I  will  require  them 
to  tell  me  what  special  afflictions  they  have  met  with, 
and  what  good  they  hope  to  get  by  those  afflictions. 
On  a  day  of  thanksgiving,  they  shall  also  be  made  to 
know  the  intent  of  the  day;  and  after  consideration, 
they  shall  inform  me  what  mercies  of  God  to  them 
they  take  special  notice  of,  and  what  duties  to  God 
they  confess  and  resolve  to  perform  under  such  obli- 
gations. Indeed,  for  something  of  importance  to  be 
pursued  in  my  conversation  with  them,  I  would  not 
confine  myself  to  such  days,  which  may  occur  too  sel- 
dom for  it ;  but,  particularly  when  the  birth-days  of 
any  of  the  children  arrive,  I  would  take  them  aside, 
and  remind  them  of  the  age  which,  having  obtained 
help  of  God,  they  have  attained ;  and  tell  them  how 
thankful  they  should  be  for  the  mercies  of  God,  upon 
which  they  have  hitherto  lived ;  and  how  fruitful  they 
should  be  in  all  goodness,  that  so  they  may  still  enjoy 
their  mercies.  And  I  would  inquire  of  them,  whether 
they  have  ever  yet  begun  to  mind  the  work  which 
God  sent  them  into  the  world  to  perform ;  what  at- 
tempts they  have  made  toward  it ;  and  how  they  de- 
sign to  spend  the  rest  of  their  time,  if  God  continue 
them  in  the  world. 

16.  When  the  children  are  in  any  trouble,  whether 
by  sickness  or  otherwise,  I  will  take  advantage  of  the 
occasion  to  set  before  them  the  evil  of  sin,  the  cause 
of  all  our  trouble ;  and  will  represent  to  them,  how 
fearful  a  thing  it  will  be  to  be  cast  among  the  damned, 
who  are  in  unceasing  and  endless  trouble.  I  will  set 
before  them  the  benefit  of  an  interest  in  Christ,  by 
which  their  trouble  will  be  sanctified  to  them,  and  they 
be  prepared  for  death,  and  for  fulness  of  joy  in  a  hap- 
py eternity  after  death. 


TO    RELATIVES.  41 

17.  I  wish,  that  among  all  the  branches  of  a  polite 
education,  which  I  would  endeavor  to  give  my  chil- 
dren, each  of  them,  the  daughters  as  well  as  the  sons, 
may  have  so  much  acquaintance  with  some  profitable 
avocation,  (whether  it  be  painting,  or  the  law,  or  me- 
dicine, or  any  other  employment  to  which  their  own 
inclination  may  lead  them,)  that  they  may  be  able  to 
obtain  for  themselves  a  comfortable  subsistence,  if  by 
the  providence  of  God  they  should  ever  be  brought 
into  destitute  circumstances.  Why  should  not  they 
be  thus  instructed  as  well  as  Paul,  the  tent-maker? 
Children  of  the  highest  rank  may  have  occasion  to 
bless  their  parents  who  made  such  a  provision  for 
them.  The  Jews  have  a  saying  on  this  subject,  which 
is  worthy  to  be  mentioned:  "Whoever  teaches  not 
his  son  some  trade  or  business,  does  in  reality  teach 
him  to  be  a  thief." 

18.  As  early  as  possible  I  would  make  my  children 
acquainted  with  the  chief  end  for  which  they  are  to 
live ;  that  so  their  youth  may  not  be  altogether  vanity. 
I  would  show  them  that  their  chief  end  must  be  to 
acknowledge  the  great  God,  and  to  bring  others  to  ac- 
knowledge him ;  and  that  they  are  never  acting  wisely 
nor  well  but  when  they  are  so  doing.  I  would  show 
them  what  these  acknowledgments  are,  and  how  they 
are  to  be  made.  I  would  make  them  able  to  answer 
the  grand  question.  "  For  what  purpose  do  you  live ; 
and  what  is  the  end  of  the  actions  that  employ  your 
lives?"  I  would  teach  them  how  their  Creator  and 
Redeemer  is  to  be  obeyed  in  every  thing,  and  how 
every  thing  is  to  be  done  in  obedience  to  him ;  I  would 
instruct  them  in  what  manner  even  their  diversions, 
their  ornaments,  and  the  tasks  of  their  education,  must 
all  be  managed,  to  fit  them  for  the  further  service  of 

4* 


43  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

God,  and  how,  in  these  also,  his  commandments  must 
be  the  rule  of  all  they  do.  I  would  therefore  some- 
times surprise  them  with  an  inquiry,  "  Child,  what  is 
this  for?  Give  me  a  good  account  why  you  do  it." 
How  comfortably  shall  I  see  them  "  walking  in  the 
light,"  if  I  may  bring  them  wisely  to  answer  this  ques- 
tion; and  what  "  children  of  the  light"  they  will  be ! 

19.  I  would  sometimes  oblige  the  children  to  retire, 
and  ponder  on  that  question :  "  What  should  I  wish  I 
had  done,  if  I  were  now  dying?"  After  they  shall 
have  reported  to  me  their  own  answer  to  the  question, 
I  will  take  occasion  from  it  to  inculcate  upon  them 
the  lessons  of  godliness.  I  would  also  direct  and  oblige 
them,  at  a  proper  time,  seriously  to  realize  their  own 
appearance  before  the  awful  judgment-seat  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  to  consider  what  they  have  to  plead 
that  they  may  not  be  sent  away  into  everlasting  pu- 
nishment ;  what  they  have  to  plead,  that  they  may  be 
admitted  into  the  holy  city.  I  would  instruct  them 
what  plea  to  prepare :  first,  show  them  how  to  get  a 
part  in  the  righteousness  of  him  who  is  to  be  their 
Judge,  by  receiving  it  with  a  thankful  faith,  as  the  gift 
of  infinite  grace  to  the  distressed  and  unworthy  sinner: 
then  show  them  how  to  prove  that  their  faith  is  ge- 
nuine, by  their  continual  endeavor  in  all  things  to 
please  him  who  is  to  be  their  Judge,  and  to  serve  his 
kingdom  and  interest  in  the  world.  And  I  would 
charge  them  to  make  this  preparation. 

20.  If  T  live  to  see  the  children  arrive  at  a  marriage- 
able age,  I  would,  before  I  consult  with  heaven  or 
earth  for  their  best  accommodation  in  the  married 
state,  aim  at  the  espousal  of  their  souls  to  their  only 
Savior.  1  would,  as  plainly  and  as  fully  as  I  can,  pro- 
pose to  them  the  terms  on  which  the  glorious  Re- 


TO   RELATIVES.  43 

deemer  will  espouse  them  to  liimself,  in  righteousness 
and  judgment,  favor  and  mercies  for  ever;  and  solicit 
their  consent  to  his  proposal  and  overtures:  then  I 
would  proceed  to  do  what  may  be  expected  from  a  ten- 
der parent  for  them,  in  their  temporal  circumstances. 
From  these  parental  resolutions,  how  reasonably, 
how  naturally,  m.ay  we  pass  on  to  say. 

Children,  the  fifth  commandment  confirms  all  your 
other  numberless  and  powerful  obligations  often  to  in- 
quire, "  Wherein  may  I  be  a  blessing  to  my  parents  ?" 
Ingenuousness  of  disposition  would  make  this  the  very 
summit  of  your  ambition,  to  be  a  credit  and  a  comfort 
to  your  parents ;  to  sweeten,  and  it  may  be,  to  lengthen 
the  lives  of  those  from  whom,  under  God,  you  have 
received  your  own.  And  God,  the  rewarder,  usually 
gives  to  such  a  conduct,  even  in  this  life,  a  most  ob- 
servable recompense.  But  it  is  possible  you  may  be 
the  happy  instruments  of  more  than  a  little  good  to 
the  souls  of  your  parents ;  yea,  though  they  should 
be  pious  parents,  you  may,  by  some  delicate  methods, 
be  the  instruments  of  their  growth  in  piety  and  pre- 
paration for  the  heavenly  world.  Happy,  thrice  happy 
children,  who  are  thus  favored  !  Among  the  Arabians, 
a  father  sometimes  takes  his  name  from  an  eminent 
son,  as  well  as  a  son  from  his  reputable  father.  Truly, 
a  son  may  be  such  a  blessing  to  his  father,  that  the 
best  sirname  for  the  glad  father  would  be,  "  the  father 
of  such  a  one." 

Masters,  yea,  and  Mistresses  too,  must  have  their 
devices,  how  to  do  good  to  their  servants;  how  to 
make  them  the  servants  of  Christ,  and  tlie  children  of 
God.    God,  whom  you  must  remember  to  be  "  your 


44  ESSAYS   TO    DO    GOOD. 

Master  in  heaven,"  has  brought  them  to  you,  and 
placed  them  under  your  care.  Who  can  tell  for  what 
good  he  has  brought  them  ?  What  if  they  should  be 
the  elect  of  God,  fetched  from  different  parts,  and 
brought  into  your  families  on  purpose,  that  by  means 
of  their  situation,  they  may  be  brought  home  to  the 
Shepherd  of  souls  !  O  that  the  souls  of  our  servants 
were  more  regarded  by  us  !  that  we  might  give  a  bet- 
ter demonstration  that  we  despise  not  our  own  souls, 
by  doing  what  we  can  for  the  souls  of  our  servants ! 
How  can  we  pretend  to  Christianity,  when  we  do  no 
more  to  christianize  our  servants !  Verily,  you  must 
give  an  account  to  God  concerning  them.  If  they 
should  be  lost  through  your  negligence,  what  answer 
can  you  make  to  "  God,  the  Judge  of  all?"  Methinks, 
common  principles  of  gratitude  should  incline  you  to 
study  the  happiness  of  those  by  whose  labors  your 
lives  are  so  much  accommodated.  Certainly  they  would 
be  the  better  servants  to  you,  more  faithful,  honest,  in- 
dustrious, and  submissive,  for  your  bringing  them  into 
the  service  of  your  common  Lord. 

ON    DOING    GOOD    TO    OUR   SERVANTS. 

I  have  somewhere  met  with  a  paper  under  this  title : 
The  RESOLUTION  OF  A  MASTER  J  which  may  be  properly 
inserted  in  this  place.* 

1.  I  would  always  remember  that  my  servants  are, 
in  some  sense,  my  children,  and  by  taking  care  that 
they  want  nothing  which  may  be  good  for  them,  I 
would  make  them  as  my  children ;  and  as  far  as  the 
methods  of  instilling  piety  into  the  mind,  which  I  use 
with  my  children,  may  be  properly  and  prudently  used 

*  The  modesty  of  the  author  thus  refers  to  what  was  pro- 

brLbl}'  his  o'.vn  production. 


TO    SERVANTS.  45 

with  my  servants,  they  shall  be  partakers  in  them. 
Nor  will  I  leave  them  ignorant  of  any  thing  wherein  I 
may  instruct  them  to  be  useful  to  their  generation. 

2.  I  will  see  that  my  servants  be  furnished  with 
Bibles,  and  be  able  and  careful  to  read  the  lively  ora- 
cles. I  will  put  Bibles  and  other  good  and  proper 
books  into  their  hands;  will  allow  them  time  to  read, 
and  assure  myself  that  they  do  not  mispend  this  time. 
If  I  can  discern  any  wicked  books  in  their  hands,  I  will 
take  away  from  them  those  pestilential  instruments 
of  wickedness.  They  shall  also  write  as  well  as  read, 
if  I  may  be  able  to  bring  them  to  it.  And  I  will  ap- 
point them,  now  and  then,  such  things  to  write,  as  may 
be  for  their  greatest  advantage. 

3.  I  will  have  my  servants  present  at  the  religious 
exercises  of  my  family;  and  will  drop,  either  in  the 
exhortations,  in  the  prayers,  or  in  the  daily  sacrifices 
of  the  family,  such  passages  as  may  have  a  tendency 
to  quicken  a  sense  of  religion  in  them. 

4.  The  article  of  catechising,  as  far  as  the  age  or 
state  of  the  servants  will  permit  it  to  be  done  with  de- 
cency, shall  extend  to  them  also;  and  they  shall  be 
concerned  in  the  conferences  in  which  I  may  be  en- 
gaged with  my  family,  in  the  repetition  of  the  public 
sermons.  If  any  of  them,  when  they  come  to  me,  shall 
not  have  learned  the  catechism,  I  will  take  care  that 
they  do  it. 

5.  I  will  be  very  inquisitive  and  solicitous  about  the 
company  chosen  by  my  servants ;  and  with  all  pos- 
sible earnestness  will  rescue  them  from  the  snares  of 
evil  company,  and  forbid  their  being  the  "  companions 
of  fools." 

6.  Such  of  my  servants  as  may  be  capable  of  the 
task,  I  will  employ  to  teach  lessons  of  piety  to  my 


46  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

children,  and  will  recompense  them  for  so  doing.  But 
I  would,  with  particular  care,  contrive  them  to  be  such 
lessons  as  may  be  for  their  own  edification  too. 

7.  I  will  sometimes  call  my  servants  alone ;  talk  to 
them  about  the  state  of  their  souls ;  tell  them  how  to 
close  with  their  only  Savior;  charge  them  to  do  well, 
and  "lay  hold  on  eternal  life;"  and  show  them  very  par- 
ticularly how  they  may  render  all  they  do  for  me  a 
service  to  the  glorious  Lord ;  how  they  may  do  all 
from  a  principle  of  obedience  to  him,  and  become  en- 
titled to  the  "  reward  of  the  heavenly  inheritance." 

Age  is  nearly  sufficient,  with  some  masters,  to  obli- 
terate every  letter  and  action  in  the  history  of  a  meri- 
torious life ;  and  old  services  are  generally  buried  under 
the  ruins  of  an  old  carcass.  It  is  a  barbarous  inhu- 
manity in  men  toward  their  servants,  to  account  their 
small  failings  as  crimes,  without  allowing  their  past 
services  to  have  been  virtues.  Gracious  God,  keep 
thy  servant  from  such  base  ingratitude  !" 

But  then,  O  servants,  if  you  would  obtain  "  the  re- 
ward of  the  inheritance,"  each  of  you  should  set  your- 
self to  inquire,  "  How  shall  I  approve  myself  such  a 
servant  that  the  Lord  may  bless  the  house  of  my  mas- 
ter the  more  for  my  being  in  it  ?"  Certainly,  there 
are  many  ways  in  which  servants  may  become  bless- 
ings. Let  your  studies,  with  your  continual  prayers 
for  the  welfare  of  the  families  to  wliich  you  belong, 
and  the  example  of  your  sober  carriage,  render  you 
such.  If  you  will  but  remember  four  words,  and  at- 
tempt all  that  is  comprised  in  them, 

OBEDIENCE,    HONESTY,    INDUSTRY,  AND  PIETY, 

you  will  be  the  blessings  and  the  Josephs  of  the  fami- 
lies in  which  you  live.  Let  these  four  v/ords  be  dis- 
tinctly and  frequently  recollected,  and  cheerfully  per- 


TO    SERVAXT3.  47 

form  all  your  business  on  this  consideration,  that  it  is 
an  obedience  to  heaven,  and  from  thence  will  have  a 
recompense.  It  was  the  observation  even  of  a  Pagan, 
"  that  a  master  may  receive  a  benefit  from  a  servant ;" 
and,  "  What  is  done  with  the  affection  of  a  friend, 
ceases  to  be  the  act  of  a  mere  servant."  The  maid  ser- 
vants of  the  house  may  render  a  great  service  to  it, 
by  instructing  the  infants,  and  instilling  into  their 
minds  the  lessons  of  goodness.  Thus,  by  Bilhah  and 
Zilpah,  may  children  be  born  again;  thus  the  mis- 
tresses, by  the  travail  of  their  handmaids,  may  have 
children  brought  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 

I  proceed — Humanity  teaches  us  to  take  notice  of 
all  our  kindred.  Nature  bespeaks  what  we  call  a  "  na- 
tural affection"  to  all  who  are  a-kin  to  us:  to  be  desti- 
tute of  it  is  a  very  bad  character ;  it  is  a  brand  on  the, 
worst  of  men,  on  sucli  as  forfeit  the  name  of  man. 
But  Christianity  is  intended  to  improve  it.  Our  na- 
tural affection  is  to  be  improved  into  a  religious  inten- 
tion. Reader,  make  a  catalogue  of  all  your  more  dis- 
tant relatives.  Consider  them  one  by  one;  and  make 
each  of  them  the  subject  of  your  "  good  devices."  Ask 
this  question :  "  How  may  I  pursue  the  good  of  such 
a  relative;  by  what  means  may  I  render  such  a  rela- 
tive the  better  for  me  V  It  is  possible  that  you  may 
do  something  for  your  relatives  which  may  afford  them 
cause  to  bless  God  for  your  relation  to  them.  Have 
they  no  calamity  under  which  you  may  give  them  re- 
lief? Is  there  no  temptation  against  which  you  may 
give  them  some  caution  ?  Is  there  no  article  of  their 
prosperity  to  which  you  may  be  subservient?  At  least, 
with  your  aflfectionate  prayers,  you  may  go  over  your 
catalogue;  you  may  pray  for  each  of  them  successive- 
ly by  name;  and  why  may  you  not  put  proper  books 


48  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

of  piety  into  their  hands,  to  be  durable  memorials  of 
their  duties  to  God,  and  of  5^our  desires  for  their  good? 

ON  DOING  GOOD  TO  OUR  NEIGHBORS. 

This  excellent  zeal  should  be  extended  to  the  neigh- 
borhood. Neighbors !  you  stand  related  to  each  other ; 
and  you  should  contrive  how  others  should  have  rea- 
son to  rejoice  that  you  hold  this  relation  to  them. 
"The  righteous  is  more  excellent  than  his  neighbor;" 
but  we  shall  scarcely  allow  him  to  be  so,  unless  he  be 
more  excellent  as  a  neighbor :  he  must  excel  in  the 
duties  of  good  neighborhood.  Let  that  man  be  better 
than  his  neiglibor,  who  labors  most  to  be  abetter  neigh- 
bor—to do  most  good  to  his  neighbor. 

And  here,  first,  the  poor  people  that  lie  wounded, 
must  have  oil  and  wine  poured  into  their  wounds.  It 
was  a  charming  trait  in  the  character  of  a  modern 
prince— "To  be  in  distress  is  to  deserve  his  favor." 
O  good  neighbor!  put  on  that  princely,  that  more  than 
royal  quality.  See  who  in  the  neighborhood  may  thus 
deserve  thy  favor.  We  are  told  that  "pure  religion 
and  undefiled  is  to  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in 
their  affliction."  The  orphans  and  the  widows,  and 
all  the  children  of  affliction  in  the  neighborhood,  must 
be  visited  and  relieved  with  all  suitable  kindness. 

Neighbors !  be  concerned  that  the  orphans  and  the 
widows  may  be  well  provided  for.  They  meet  with 
grievous  difficulties,  with  unknown  temptations.  When 
their  nearest  relatives  were  living,  they  were,  perhaps, 
but  meanly  provided  for:  what  then  must  be  their  pre- 
sent solitary  condition?  That  condition  should  be 
well  considered ;  and  the  result  of  the  consideration 
should  be,  "I  delivered  the  orphan  who  had  no  helper, 
and  I  caused  the  widow's  heart  to  sing  for  joy." 


TO    OUR   NEIGHBORS.  49 

By  the  same  rule,  all  the  afflicted  in  the  neighborhqod 
are  to  be  considered.  Would  it  be  too  mi'ich  for  you, 
once  in  a  week  at  least,  to  think,  "What  neighbor  is 
reduced  to  pinching  and  painful  poverty,  or  impover- 
ished with  heavy  losses  ?  What  neighbor  is  languish- 
ing with  sickness,  especially  with  severe  disease,  and 
of  long  continuance  ?  What  neighbor  is  broken-heart- 
ed with  the  loss  of  a  dear  and  desirable  relative?  What 
neighbor  has  a  soul  violently  frssanlted  by  the  enemy 
of  souls?"  and  then  consider,  "What  can  be  done  for 
such  neighbors?" 

In  the  first  place,  you  will  pity  them.  The  evangeli- 
cal precept  is,  "  Have  compassion  one  of  another — be 
pityful."  It  was  of  old,  and  ever  will  be,  a  just  expec- 
tation, "  To  him  that  is  afflicted,  pity  should  be  shown  5" 
and  let  our  pity  to  the  distressed  be  expressed  by  our 
prayer  for  them.  It  would  be  a  very  lovely  practice 
for  you,  in  the  daily  prayer  of  your  closet,  every  even- 
ing to  think,  "What  miserable  object  h.ave  I  seen  to- 
day, for  whom  I  may  do  well  now  to  entreat  the  mer- 
cies of  the  Lord?"  But  this  is  not  all;  it  is  possible, 
nay  probable,  that  you  may  do  well  to  visit  them ;  and 
when  you  visit  them,  comfort  them,  carry  them  some 
good  word,  which  may  raise  gladness  in  a  heart  stoop- 
ing with  heaviness. 

And  lastly :  Render  them  all  the  assistance  which  their 
necessities  may  require.  Assist  them  by  your  advice; 
assist  them  by  obtaining  the  help  of  other  persons  on 
their  behalf;  and,  if  it  be  needful,  bestow  your  alms 
upon  them  :  "Deal  thy  bread  to  the  hungry;  bring  to 
thy  house  the  poor  that  are  cast  out ;  when  thou  seest 
the  naked,  cover  him :"  at  least,  exercise  Nazianzeii's 
charity :  "  If  you  have  nothing  else  to  bestow  upon 


50  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

the  miserable,  bestow  a  tear  or  two  upon  their  mise- 
ries."   This  little  is  better  than  nothing. 

Would  it  be  amiss  for  you,  always  to  have  lying  by 
you  a  list  of  the  poor  in  your  neighborhood,  or  of  those 
whose  calamities  may  call  for  the  assistance  of  the 
neighborhood  ?  Such  a  list  would  often  furnish  you 
with  matter  for  useful  conversation  when  you  are 
conversing  with  your  friends,  whom  you  may  hereby 
"  provoke  to  love  and  to  good  works." 

I  will  go  on  to  say :  Be  glad  of  opportunities  to  do 
good  in  your  neighborhood ;  yea,  look  out  for  them ; 
lay  hold  on  them  with  a  rapturous  assiduity.  Be  sor- 
ry for  all  the  sad  circumstances  of  your  neighbor, 
which  render  your  exertions  necessary ;  yet,  be  glad, 
if  any  one  tell  you  of  them.  Thank  him  who  gives 
you  the  information,  as  having  therein  done  you  a  very 
great  kindness.  Let  him  know  that  he  could  not,  by 
any  means,  have  obliged  you  more.  Cheerfully  em- 
brace every  opportunity  of  showing  civility  to  your 
neighbors,  whether  by  lending,  by  watching,  or  by  any 
other  method  in  your  power.  And  let  the  pleasantness 
of  your  countenance  prove  that  you  do  this  willingly. 
Look  upon  j'our  neighbors,  not  with  a  cloudy,  but  with 
a  serene  and  shining  face  ;  and  shed  the  rays  of  your 
kindness  upon  them  with  such  affability  that  they 
may  see  they  are  welcome  to  all  you  can  do  for  them. 
Yea,  stay  not  until  you  are  told  of  opportunities  to  do 
good ;  but  inquire  after  them,  and  let  the  inquiry  be 
solicitous  and  unwearied.  The  incomparable  pleasure 
which  attends  the  performance  of  acts  of  benevolence 
is  worth  a  diligent  inquiry. 

There  was  a  generous  Pagan,  who  counted  a  day 
lost,  in  which  he  had  not  obliged  some  one.  "Friends, 
J  have  lost  a  dayl"    O  Christian,  let  us  try  whether 


TO    OUR   NEIGH20R9.  51 

we  cannot  contrive  to  do  something  for  one  or  other 
of  our  neighbors,  every  day  that  passes  over  our  heads. 
Some  do  so,  and  with  a  better  spirit  than  ever  actu- 
ated the  Pagan.  Thrice,  in  tlie  Scriptures,  we  find  the 
good  angels  rejoicing;  and  it  is  always  at  the  good  of 
others.  To  rejoice  in  the  good  of  others,  and  espe- 
cially in  doing  good  to  them,  is  angelic  goodness. 

In  promoting  the  good  of  the  neighborhood,  I  wish, 
above  all,  that  you  will  consult  their  spiritual  good. 
Be  concerned  lest  "the  deceitfulness  of  sin*'  should 
destroy  any  of  your  neighbors.  If  there  be  any  idle 
people  among  them,  take  pains  to  cure  them  of  their 
idleness:  do  not  nourish  and  harden  them  in  it,  but  find 
employment  for  them ;  set  them  at  work,  and  keep 
them  at  work;  and  then  be  as  bountiful  to  them  as  you 
please. 

If  any  poor  children  in  the  neighborhood  are  totally 
destitute  of  education,  do  not  sufi'er  them  to  remain  in 
that  state.  Let  care  be  taken  that  they  may  be  taught 
to  read,  to  learn  their  catechism,  and  the  truths  and 
ways  of  their  only  Savior. 

Once  more.  If  any  persons  in  the  neighborhood 
are  taking  to  bad  courses,  affectionately  and  faithfully 
admonish  them :  if  any  act  as  enemies  to  their  own 
welfare,  or  that  of  their  families,  prudently  dispense 
your  admonitions  to  them :  if  there  be  any  prayerless 
families,  cease  not  to  entreat  and  exhort  them,  till  you 
have  persuaded  them  to  commence  domestic  worship. 
If  there  be  any  service  of  God.  or  his  people,  to  which 
any  one  is  backward,  tenderly  excite  him  to  it.  What- 
ever snare  you  perceive  a  neighbor  exposed  to,  be  so 
kind  as  to  warn  him  against  it.  By  furnishing  your 
neighbors  with  good  books  or  tracts,  and  obtaining 
their  promise  to  read  them,  who  can  tell  how  much 


52  ESSAYS    TO    no    GOOP. 

goovl  may  bo  done!  Ii  is  possible,  that  in  this  way 
YOU  may  administer,  with  iiiiiennity  and  eiHoacy.  such 
reproofs  as  your  neighbors  may  need,  and  without  hin 
derinsT  your  personal  conversation  with  them  on  the 
same  subjects,  if  they  need  your  particular  advice. 

Finally,  if  there  Ik^  any  bad  houses  Mhich  threaten 
to  debauch  and  poison  your  neighbors,  let  your  charity 
induce  you  to  exert  yourself  as  much  as  possible  fov 
their  suppression. 

That  my  proposal  "to  do  good  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  as  a  neiglibor,"  may  be  more  fully  formed  and 
followed,  I  will  conclude  by  reminding  you  that  much 
sti/HicViioI  will  be  requisite  in  the  execution  of  it.  You 
must  be  armed  against  all  sellish  intentions  in  these 
generous  attt^npts.  You  must  not  employ  your  good 
actions  as  persons  use  water  wltich  they  pour  into  a 
pum^i — to  draw  up  something  for  yonrselves.  Our 
Lord's  direction  is,  "Lend,  hoping  for  nothing  again," 
and  do  good  to  such  as  you  are  never  likely  to  be  the 
better  for. 

But  then,  there  is  something  still  higher  to  be  re- 
quired :  that  is,  "Do  good  to  those  neighbors  who  have 
done  yon  harm  :"  so  saiili  our  Savior,  "Love  your  ene- 
mies; bless  them  that  curse  you  ;  do  good  to  them  that 
hate  you:  and  pray  for  them  that  despitefuUy  use  you, 
and  persecute  you.''  Y'ea,  if  ;m  kijury  have  been  done 
you  by  imy  one,  consider  it  as  a  provocation  to  confer 
a  benefit  on  him.  This  is  noble!  It  will  alTord  much 
consolation.  Some  other  metlu^d  might  nu\ke  you 
rrcn  with  your  froward  neighbors ;  but  this  will  place 
you  above  them  all.  It  were  nobly  done,  if  in  your 
evening  retirement  you  otler  a  petition  to  God  for  tlie 
paixion  and  prosperity  of  any  person  who  has  injured 
you  in  the  course  of  the  dav :  and  it  would  be  excel- 


TO    OUR    NEIGHBORS.  03 

lent  if,  in  looking  over  the  catalogue  of  such  as  have 
injured  you,  you  should  also  be  able  to  say,  (the  ©nly 
intention  that  can  justify  your  keeping  such  a  cata- 
logue,) There  is  not  one  of  these,  to  whom  1  have  not 
done,  or  attempted  to  do  a  kindness.  The  Jews  them- 
selves offered  this  daily  petition  to  God,  "Forgive  all 
who  trouble  and  harass  us."  Christians  exceed  them: 
Justin  Martyr^ tells  us  they  did  so  in  primitive  times — 
"they  prayed  for  their  enemies." 

But  I  must  not  stop  here;  something  higher  still  is 
requisite.  Do  good  to  those  neighbors  who  will  speak 
evil  of  you  for  doing  so:  "Thus,"  saith  our  Savior, 
"ye  shall  be  the  children  of  the  Highest,  who  is  kind 
to  the  unthankful  and  to  the  evil."  You  will  constantly 
meet  with  monsters  of  ingratitude ;  and  if  you  dis- 
tinguish a  person  by  doing  far  more  for  him  than  for 
others,  that  very  person  perhaps  will  do  you  an  injury, 
O  the  wisdom  of  Divine  Providence,  by  which  this  is 
permitted,  that  you  may  learn  to  do  good  on  a  divine 
principle— good,  merely  for  the  sake  of  good !  "  O  Lord, 
increase  our  faith !" 

There  is  a  memorable  passage  in  the  Jewish  records. 
A  certain  gentleman  was  remarkably  generous,  and 
many  persons  were  constantly  relieved  by  his  bounty. 
One  day  he  asked  the  following  question :  "Well,  what 
do  our  people  say  to-day?"  The  answer  was,  "Sir, 
the  people  partook  of  your  favors,  and  blessed  you 
very  fervently."  "Did  they  so?"  said  he,  "then  I 
shall  have  no  great  reward  for  this  day."  At  another 
tim«  he  asked  the  same  question — "Well,  and  what 
say  our  people  now?"  They  replied,  "Alas!  good  sir, 
the  people  enjoyed  your  favors  to-day,  and  after  all 
they  did  nothing  but  rail  at  you."  "Indeed !"  said  he, 
'•'then  for  this  day  I  am  sure  that  God  will  give  me  a 
5* 


54  ESSAYS   TO   DO    GOOD. 

good  and  a  great  reward."  Thus  then,  though  vile 
constructions  and  harsh  invectives  should  be  the  pre- 
sent reward  for  your  best  offices  for  the  neighborhood; 
yet  be  not  discouraged:  "Thy  work  shall  be  reward- 
ed," saith  the  Lord.  If  your  opportunities  to  do  good 
extend  no  further,  yet  I  will  offer  you  a  consolation, 
which  a  certain  writer  has  thus  elegantly  expressed: 
"He  who  praises  God  only  on  a  ten-stringed  instru- 
ment ;  whose  authority  extends  no  further  than  his  own 
family,  nor  his  example  beyond  his  own  neighborhood, 
may  have  as  thankful  a  heart  here,  and  as  high  a  place 
in  the  celestial  choir  hereafter,  as  the  greatest  monarch 
who  praises  God  upon  an  instrument  of  ten  thousand 
strings,  and  upon  the  loud  sounding  organ,  having  as 
many  millions  of  pipes  as  there  are  subjects  in  his 
empire." 

PRIVATE    MEETINGS   FOR    RELIGION. 

We  cannot  dismiss  this  part  of  the  subject  without 
offerinf^  a  Proposal  to  animate  and  regulate  Private 
Meetings  of  religious  persons,  for  the  exercises  of  re- 
ligion. It  is  very  certain  that  when  such  private  meet- 
ings have  been  maintained,  and  well  conducted,  the 
Christians  who  have  composed  them  have,  like  so  ma- 
ny "coals  of  the  altar,"  kept  one  another  alive,  and 
been  the  means  of  maintaining  a  lively  Christianity  in 
the  neighborhood.  Such  societies  have  been  strong 
and  approved  instruments  to  uphold  the  power  of  god- 
liness. The  disuse  of  such  societies  has  been  accom- 
panied with  a  visible  decay  of  religion:  in  proportion 
as  they  have  been  discontinued  or  disregarded  in  any 
place,  the  less  has  godliness  flourished. 

The  rules  observed  by  some  Associated  Families 
may  be  offered  with  advantage,  on  this  occasion.    They 


PRIVATE   MEETINGS.  55 

will  show  US  what  good  may  be  done  in  a  neighborhood, 
by  the  establishment  of  such  societies. 

1.  It  is  proposed  that  a  select  number  of  families, 
perhaps  about  twelve,  agree  to  meet  (the  men  and 
their  wives)  at  each  other's  houses  alternately,  once 
in  a  fortnight,  or  a  month,  or  otherwise,  as  shall  be 
thought  most  proper,  and  spend  a  suitable  time  to- 
gigther  in  religious  exercises. 

2.  The  exercises  of  religion  proper  for  such  a  meet- 
ing are;  for  the  brethren  in  rotation  to  commence  and 
conclude  with  prayer;  psalms  to  be  sung;  and  ser- 
mons to  be  read. 

3.  It  were  desirable  for  the  ministers,  now  and  then, 
to  be  present  at  the  meeting,  and  pray  with  them,  in- 
struct and  exhort  them,  as  they  may  see  occasion. 

4.  Candidates  for  the  ministry  may  do  well  to  per- 
form their  first  offices  here,  and  thereby  prepare  them- 
selves for  further  services. 

5.  One  special  design  of  the  meeting  should  be,  with 
united  prayers  to  ask  the  blessing  of  Heaven  on  the 
family  where  they  are  assembled,  as  well  as  on  the 
rest :  that  with  the  wondrous  force  of  united  prayers 
"two  or  three  may  agree,  on  earth,  to  ask  such  things" 
as  are  to  be  done  for  the  families,  by  "  our  Father  which 
is  in  heaven." 

6.  The  members  of  such  a  society  should  consider 
themselves  as  bound  up  in  one  "bui)dle  of  love;"  and 
count  themselves  obliged,  by  very  close  and  strong 
bonds,  to  be  serviceable  to  one  another.  If  any  one  in 
the  society  should  fall  into  affliction,  all  the  rest  should 
presently  study  to  relieve  and  support  the  afflicted  per- 
son in  every  possible  way.  If  any  one  should  fall  in- 
to temptation,  the  rest  should  watch  over  him,  and  with 
the  "  spirit  of  meekness,"  with  "  meekness  of  wisdom," 


55  E6SAYS   TO    DO    GOOD. 

endeavor  to  recover  him.  It  should  be  like  a  law  of 
the  Medes  and  Persians  to  the  whole  society -that 
they  will,  upon  all  just  occasions,  affectionately  give 
and  receive  mutual  admonitions  of  any  thing  that  they 
may  see  amiss  in  each  other. 

7  It  is  not  easy  to  calculate  the  goad  offices  which 
such  a  society  may  do  to  many  other  persons,  besides 
its  own  members.  The  prayers  of  such  well-disposed 
societies  may  fetch  down  marvellous  favors  from  hea- 
ven on  their  pastors;  their  lives  may  be  prolonged, 
their  gifts  augmented,  their  graces  brightened,  and 
their  labors  prospered,  in  answer  to  the  supplications 
of  such  associated  families.  The  interests  of  religion 
may  be  also  greatly  promoted  in  the  whole  flock,  by 
their  fervent  supplications;  and  the  Spirit  of  grace 
mightily  poured  out  upon  the  rising  generation ;  yea, 
the  country  at  large  may  be  the  better  for  them. 

8  The  society  may,  on  peculiar  occasions,  set  apart 
whole  days  for  fasting  and  prayer.  The  success  of 
such  days  has  been  sometimes  very  remarkable,  and 
the  savor  which  they  have  left  on  the  minds  of  those 
who  have  engaged  in  them,  has  been  such,  as  greatly 
to  prepare  them  to  "  show  forth  the  death  of  the  Lord," 
at  his  holy  table ;  yea,  to  meet  their  own  death,  when 
God  has  been  pleased  to  appoint  it. 

9.  It  is  very  certain  that  the  devotions  and  confer- 
ences carried  on  in  such  a  society,  will  not  only  have 
a  wonderful  tendency  to  produce  the  "  comfort  of  love" 
in  the  hearts  of  good  men  toward  one  another ;  but  that 
their  ability  to  serve  many  valuable  interests  will  also 
thereby  be  much  increased. 

10.  Unexpected  opportunities  to  do  good  will  arise 
to  such  a  society ;  and  especially  if  such  a  plan  as  the 
following  were  adopted  :  That  the  men  who  compose 


PRIVATE    MEETINGS.  57 

the  society,  would  now  and  then  spend  half  an  hour  by 
themselves,  in  considering  that  question,  What  good  is 
there  to  be  do7ie  7    More  particularly. 

Who  are  to  be  called  npon  to  do  their  duty,  in  com- 
ing to  special  ordinances  ? 

Who  are  in  any  particular  adversity ;  and  what  may 
be  done  to  comfort  them  1 

W^hat  contention  or  variance  is  there  among  any  of 
our  neighbors ;  and  what  may  be  done  for  healing  it  ? 

What  open  transgressions  do  any  live  in,  and  who 
shall  be  desired  to  carry  faithful  admonitions  to  them? 
^  Finally  :  What  is  there  to  be  done  for  the  advantage 
and  advancement  of  our  holy  religion  ? 

In  the  primitive  times  of  Christianity  much  use  was 
made  of  a  saying,  which  was  ascribed  to  Matthias  the 
apostle :  "  If  the  neighbor  of  an  elect  or  godly  man 
sin,  the  godly  man  himself  has  also  sinned."  The  in- 
tention of  that  saying  was,  to  point  out  the  obligation 
of  neighbors  watchfully  to  admonish  one  another.  O 
how  much  may  Christians,  associated  in  religious  so- 
cieties, effect  by  watchful  and  faithful  admonitions,  to 
prevent  their  being  "  partakers  in  other  men's  sins !" 
The  man  who  shall  produce  and  promote  such  socie- 
ties, will  do  an  incalculable  service  to  the  neigh- 
borhood. 

I  proceed  to  mention  another  sort  of  society,  name- 
ly, that  of  YOUNG  MEN  ASSOCIATED. 

Societies  of  this  description,  duly  managed,  and  coun- 
tenanced by  the  pastor,  have  been  incomparable  nur- 
series to  the  churches.  Young  men  are  hereby  pre- 
served from  very  many  temptations,  rescued  from  the 
"  paths  of  the  destroyer,"  confirmed  in  the  "right  ways 
of  the  Lord,"  and  much  prepared  for  such  religious  ex- 
ercises as  will  be  expected  from  them,  when  they  shall 
themselves  become  heads  of  families. 


68  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

I  will  here  lay  before  the  reader  some  orders  which 
have  been  observed  in  some  societies  of  this  nature. 

1.  Let  there  be  two  hours  at  a  time  set  apart  for  the 
purpose ;  in  which,  let  two  prayers  be  offered  by  the 
members  in  rotation ;  and  between  the  prayers  let  there 
be  singing,  and  the  reading  of  a  sermon. 

2.  Let  all  the  members  of  the  society  resolve  to  be 
charitably  watchful  over  one  another ;  never  to  divulge 
each  other's  infirmities ;  always  to  give  information  of 
every  thing  which  may  appear  to  call  for  admonition, 
and  to  take  it  kindly  whenever  it  is  given. 

3.  Let  all  who  are  to  be  admitted  as  members  of  the 
society,  be  accompanied  by  two  or  three  of  the  rest,  to 
the  minister  of  the  place,  that  they  may  receive  his 
counsel  and  directions,  and  that  every  thing  may  be 
done  with  his  approbation ;  after  which,  let  their  names 
be  added  to  the  roll. 

4.  If  any  person  thus  enrolled  among  them  fall  into 
a  scandalous  iniquity,  let  the  rebukes  of  the  society  be 
dispensed  to  him ;  and  let  them  forbid  him  to  come 
among  them  any  more  until  he  give  suitable  evidence 
of  repentance. 

5.  Let  the  list  be  once  a  quarter  called  over ;  and 
then,  if  it  appear  that  any  of  the  society  have  much 
absented  themselves,  let  some  of  the  members  be  sent 
to  inquire  the  reason  of  tlieir  absence ;  and  if  no  reason 
be  given,  but  such  as  intimates  an  apostasy  from  good 
beginnings,  and  if  they  remain  obstinate,  let  them  be 
dismissed,  with  kind  and  faithful  admonitions. 

6.  Once  in  three  months  let  there  be  a  collection,  if 
necessary ;  out  of  which  the  unavoidable  expenses  of 
the  society  shall  be  defrayed,  and  the  rest  be  employed 
for  such  pious  purposes  as  may  be  agreed  on. 

7.  Once  in  two  months  let  the  whole  time  be  de- 


YODNQ   MEN*  59 

voted  to  supplications  for  the  conversion  and  salvation 
of  the  rising  generation,  and  particularly  for  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Gospel  in  that  congregation  to  which  the 
society  belongs. 

8.  Let  the  whole  society  be  exceedingly  careful  that 
their  conversation,  while  they  are  together,  after  the 
other  services  of  religion  are  over,  have  nothing  in  it 
that  may  have  any  taint  of  backbiting  or  vanity,  or  of 
things  which  do  not  concern  them,  and  are  not  likely 
to  promote  their  advantage.  But  let  their  conversa- 
tion be  wholly  on  matters  of  religion,  and  those,  also, 
not  disputable  and  controversial  subjects,  but  points  of 
practical  piety.  For  this  purpose  questions  may  be 
proposed,  on  which  every  one,  in  order,  may  deliver 
his  sentiments ;  or,  they  may  go  through  a  catechism  ; 
and  every  one,  in  rotation,  may- hear  all  the  rest  recite 
the  answers ;  or  they  may  be  directed,  by  their  pastor, 
to  spend  their  time  profitably  in  some  other  manner. 

9.  Let  every  person  in  the  society  consider  it  as  a 
special  task  incumbent  on  him,  to  look  out  for  some 
other  hopeful  young  man,  and  to  use  all  proper  means 
to  engage  him  in  the  resolutions  of  godliness,  until  he 
also  shall  be  united  to  the  society.  And  when  a  so- 
ciety shall  in  this  manner  be  increased  to  a  fit  number, 
let  it  use  its  influence  to  form  other  similar  societies, 
who  may  hold  a  useful  correspondence  with  each 
other. 

The  man  who  shall  be  the  instrument  of  establish- 
ing such  a  society  in  a  place,  cannot  comprehend  what 
a  long  and  rich  train  of  good  consequences  may  result 
from  his  labors.  And  they  who  shall  in  such  a  society 
carry  on  the  duties  of  religion,  and  sing  the  praises  of 
a  glorious  Christ,  will  have  in  themselves  a  blessed 
earnest  that  they  shall  be  associated  together  in  the 


60  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

heavenly  city,  and  in  the  blessedness  that  shall  never 
have  an  end. 

PROPOSALS    TO   MINISTERS    OF    THE    GOSPEL. 

Hitherto  my  discourse  has  been  a  more  general  ad- 
dress to  persons  of  all  conditions  and  capacities.  I  have 
proposed  a  few  devices,  but  those  which  are  as  appli- 
cable to  private  persons  as  to  others.  We  will  now 
proceed  to  address  those  who  are  in  a  more  public 
situation ;  and  because  no  men  in  the  world  are  under 
such  obligations  to  do  good  as  the  ministers  of  the 
Gospel,  "  it  is  necessary  that  the  word  of  God  should 
be  first  spoken  unto  them."  I  trust,  therefore,  my  fa- 
thers and  brethren  in  the  ministry  will  "suffer  the 
word  of  exliortation." 

It  must  be  admitted,  that  they  who  are  *'  men  of 
God  "  should  be  always  at  work  for  God.  Certainly, 
they  who  are  dedicated  to  the  special  service  of  the 
Lord  should  never  be  satisfied  but  when  they  are  in 
the  most  sensible  manner  serving  him.  Certainly,  they 
whom  the  great  King  has  brought  nearer  to  himself 
than  other  men,  should  be  more  unwearied  than  others 
in  endeavoring  to  advance  his  kingdom.  They  whom 
the  word  of  God  calls  angels,  ought  certainly  to  be  of 
an  angelical  disposition ;  always  disposed  to  do  good, 
like  the  good  angels — ministers  ever  on  the  wing  to 
"  do  his  pleasure."  It  is  no  improper  proposal,  that 
they  would  seriously  set  themselves  to  think,  "  What 
are  the  points  wherein  I  should  be  wise  and  do  good, 
like  an  angel  of  God  ?  Or,  if  an  angel  were  in  the  flesh, 
as  I  am,  and  in  such  a  post  as  mine,  what  methods 
may  I  justly  imagine  that  he  would  use  to  glorify 
God  ?"  What  wonderful  offices  of  kindness  would  the 
good  angels  cheerfully  perform  for  such  their  "  fellow- 
servants  ?" 


MINISTERS.  61 

We  must  call  upon  our  people  "  to  be  ready  to  every 
good  work."  We  must  go  before  them  in  it,  and  by 
our  own  readiness  at  every  good  work,  show  them  the 
manner  of  performing  it.  "  Timothy,"  said  the  apos- 
tle, "  Be  thou  an  example  of  the  believers."  It  is  a  true 
maxim,  and  you  cannot  think  of  it  too  frequently : 
"  The  life  of  a  minister  is  the  life  of  his  ministry." 
There  is  also  another  maxim  of  the  same  kind  :  "  The 
sins  of  teachers  are  the  teachers  of  sins." 

Allow  me,  sirs,  to  say,  that  your  opportunities  to  do 
good  are  singular.  Your  Avant  of  worldly  riches,  and 
generally  of  any  means  of  obtaining  them,  is  compen- 
sated by  those  opportunities  to  do  good  with  which 
you  are  enr^iched.  The  true  spirit  of  a  minister  will 
cause  you  to  consider  yourselves  enriched  when  those 
precious  things  are  conferred  upon  you,  and  to  prize 
them  above  lands,  or  money,  or  any  temporal  posses- 
sions whatever.  "  Let  me  abound  in  good  works,  and 
I  care  not  who  abounds  in  riches."  Well  said,  brave 
Melancthon ! 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  main  principle  which  ac- 
tuated you,  when  you  first  entered  upon  the  evangeli- 
cal ministry,  was  a  desire  to  do  good  in  the  world. 
If  that  principle  was  then  too  feeble  in  its  operation,  it 
is  time  that  it  should  now  act  more  vigorously,  and 
that  a  zeal  for  doing  good  should  now  "  eat  up"  your 
time,  your  thoughts,  your  all. 

That  you  may  be  good  men,  and  be  mightily  in- 
spired and  assisted  from  heaven  to  do  good,  it  is  need- 
ful that  you  should  be  men  of  prmjer.  This,  my  first 
request,  I  suppose  to  be  fully  admitted.  In  pursuance 
of  this  intention,  it  appears  very  necessary  that  you 
should  occasionally  set  apart  whole  days  for  secret 
prayer  and  fasting,  and  thus  perfume  your  studies 
6 


62  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

with  extraordinary  devotions :  such  exercises  may  be 
also  properly  accompanied  with  the  giving  of  alms,  to 
go  up  as  a  memorial  before  the  Lord.  By  these  means 
you  may  obtain,  together  with  the  pardon  of  your  un- 
fruitfulness,  (for  which,  alas!  we  have  such  frequent 
occasion  to  apply  to  the  great  Sacrifice,)  a  wonderful 
improvement  in  piety  and  sanctity ;  the  vast  import- 
ance of  which,  to  form  a  useful  minister,  none  can  de- 
scribe !  "  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth,"  said  our 
Savior.  They  should  be  sanctified,  who  would  become 
instruments  for  the  propagation  of  the  truth.  You  may 
obtain,  by  prayer,  such  an  influence  from  heaven  upon 
your  minds,  and  such  an  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
as  will  render  you  grave,  discreet,  humble,  generous, 
and  Vv^orthy  to  be  "  greatly  beloved,"  You  may  ob- 
tain those  influences  from  above,  that  will  dispel  the 
enchantments,  and  conquer  the  temptations  which 
might  otherwise  do  much  mischief  in  your  neighbor- 
hood. You  may  obtain  direction  and  assistance  for 
the  many  services  requisite  to  be  performed  in  the  dis- 
charge of  your  ministry.  Finally,  you  may  fetch  down 
unknown  blessings  on  your  flocks,  and  on  the  people 
at  large,  for  whom  you  are  to  be  the  Lord's  remem- 
brancers. 

Your  public  prayers,  if  suitably  composed,  will  be 
excellent  engines  to  "  do  good."  The  more  judicious, 
the  more  affectionate,  the  more  argumentative  you  are 
in  them,  the  more  you  will  teach  your  people  to  pray. 
And  I  would  ask,  how  can  you  prosecute  any  inten- 
tion of  piety  among  your  people  more  effectually,  than 
by  letting  theni  see  you  praying,  weeping,  striving, 
and  in  an  importunate  agony  before  the  Lord,  in  order 
to  obtain  the  blessing  for  them?  The  more  appro- 
priately you  represent  the  various  cases  of  your  people 


MINISTERS.  63 

in  your  public  prayers,  the  more  devoutly  sensible  you 
will  make  them  of  their  wants,  and  by  this  means  they 
will  obtain  much  consolation. 

Your  sermons,  if  they  be  well  studied,  as  they  ought 
to  be,  from  tiie  consideration  of  their  being  offerings 
to  God,  as  well  as  to  his  people,  will  "do  good"  be- 
yond all  expression.  The  manner  of  your  studying 
them  may  very  much  contribute  to  their  usefulness. 
It  is  necessary  that  you  carefully  consider  the  state  of 
your  flocks,  and  bring  them  such  truths  as  will  best 
suit  their  present  circumstances.  In  order  to  this,  you 
-will  observe  their  condition,  their  faults,  their  snares, 
and  their  griefs,  that  you  may  '•  speak  a  word  in  sea- 
son," and  that,  if  any  remarkable  providence  occur 
among  your  people,  you  may  make  a  suitable  improve- 
ment of  it.  It  will  be  useful  to  consider  the  different 
ages  and  circumstances  of  your  people,  and  what  les- 
sons of  piety  may  be  inculcated  on  each ;  what  exhor- 
tations should  be  given  to  the  communicants,  to  those 
who  are  under  the  bonds  of  the  covenant ;  what  advice 
should  be  addressed  to  the  aged ;  what  admonitions  to 
the  poor,  to  the  rich,  to  the  worldly,  and  to  those  who 
are  in  public  situations;  what  consolations  should  be 
afforded  to  the  afflicted ;  and  what  instruction  may  be 
necessary,  with  respect  to  the  personal  callings  of  your 
hearers.  Above  all,  the  young  must  not  be  forgotten : 
you  will  employ  all  possible  means  to  cultivate  early' 
piety.  Yea,  you  may  do  well  to  make  it  understood 
that  you  would  willingly  be  informed,  by  any  persons 
or  societies  in  your  flocks,  what  subjects  they  may 
wish  to  hear  explained.  By  giving  them  sermons  on 
such  subjects,  you  will  at  least  very  much  edify  those 
who  requested  them ;  and  it  is  probable  many  other 
persons  besides. 


64  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

In  studying  your  sermons,  it  might  be  profitable  at 
the  close  of  every  paragraph  to  pause,  and  endeavor, 
with  ejaculations  to  heaven  and  self-examination,  to 
feel  some  impression  of  the  truths  contained  in  that 
paragraph  on  your  own  mind,  before  you  proceed  any 
farther.  By  such  a  practice,  the  hours  which  you 
spend  in  composing  a  sermon,  will  prove  to  you  so 
many  hours  of  devotion  ;  the  day  in  which  you  have 
made  a  sermon,  will  even  leave  upon  your  mind  such 
a  savor  as  a  day  of  prayer  commonly  does.  When  you 
come  to  preach  the  sermon,  you  will  do  it  with  great 
liberty  and  assurance;  and  the  truths  thus  prepared 
will  be  likely  to  come  with  more  sensible  warmth  and 
life  upon  the  auditory — from  the  heart,  and  to  the  heart ! 
A  famous  preacher  used  to  say,  "  I  never  dare  to  preach 
a  sermon  to  others  till  I  have  first  got  some  good  by  it 
myself."  And  I  will  add,  that  such  a  method  is  most 
likely  to  render  it  useful  to  others.  Let  the  saying 
of  the  ancients  be  remembered,  "  He  that  trifles  in  the 
pulpit,  shall  weep  in.  hell;"  and  the  modern  saying, 
"  Cold  preachers  make  bold  sinners." 

How  much  good  may  be  done  by  your  visits  !  It 
would  be  well  for  you  to  impose  it  as  a  law  upon  your- 
selves, ''Never  to  make  an  unprofitable  visit."  Even 
when  you  pay  a  visit  merely  for  the  sake  of  civility  or 
entertainment,  it  would  be  easy  for  you  to  observe 
this  law :  "  That  you  will  drop  some  sentence  or  other, 
which  may  be  good  for  the  use  of  edifying,  before  you 
leave  the  company."  There  have  been  pastors  who 
have  been  able  to  say,  that  they  scarce  ever  went  into 
a  house  among  their  people  without  some  essay  or 
purpose  to  do  good  before  they  left  it. 

The  same  rule  might  properly  be  observed  with  such 
as  come  to  us,  as  well  as  witli  those  whom  we  visit. 


MINISTERS.  65 

Why  should  any  of  our  people  ever  come  near  us, 
-without  our  contriving  to  speak  something  to  them 
that  may  be  for  their  advantage  ?  Peter  Martyr,  hav- 
ing spent  many  days  in  Bucer's  house,  published  this 
report  of  his  visit:  "I  can  truly  affirm,  that  I  never 
left  his  table  without  some  addition  to  my  knowledge!" 
I  make  no  doubt  tiiat  the  observation  of  this  rule  may 
be  very  consistent  with  an  affable  and  agreeable  con- 
versation. But  let  it  be  remen*bered,  that  "  NVhat  are 
but  jests  in  the  mouth  of  the  people,  are  blasphemies 
in  the  mouth  of  the  priest.^' 

In  your  visits,  take  a  particular  notice  of  the  widow, 
the  orphan,  and  the  afflicted,  and  afford  them  all  pos- 
sible relief. 

When  any  peculiar  calamity  has  befallen  any  one, 
it  is  a  suitable  time  to  visit  such  a  person,  to  direct  and 
persuade  him  to  hear  the  voice  of  God  in  the  calamity, 
and  to  comply  with  the  intent  and  errand  upon  which 
it  comes.  Another  very  proper  time  for  a  visit,  is  when 
any  special  deliverance  has  been  received.  Those  who 
have  been  thus  fiivored,  should  be  admonished  to  con- 
trive some  remarkable  manner  in  which  they  may  ex- 
press their  thankfulness  for  the  deliverance;  nor  should 
you  leave  them  until  such  a  determination  be  made. 
The  handmaids  of  the  Lord,  who  are  near  the  hour  of 
difficulty  and  danger,  may  on  this  account  be  very 
proper  objects  for  your  visits.  At  such  a  time  they 
are  in  much  distress  ;  the  approaching  hour  of  trouble 
threatens  to  be  their  dying  hour.  The  counsels  that 
shall  exactly  instruct  them  how  to  prepare  for  a  dying 
hour,  will  now,  if  ever,  be  attentively  heard  ;  and  there 
are  precious  promises  of  God,  upon  which  they  should 
also  now  be  taught  to  live.  To  bring  them  these  pro- 
6* 


6(j  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

mises  will  be  the  work  of  a  "  good  angel,"  and  will 
cause  you  to  be  welcomed  by  them  as  such. 

Catechising  is  a  noble  exercise  ;  it  will  insensibly 
bring  you  into  a  way  to  "  do  good,"  that  surpasses  all 
expression.  Your  sermons  will  be  very  much  lost  upon 
an  uncatechised  people.  Nor  will  your  people  mind 
so  much  what  you  address  to  them  from  the  pulpit,  as 
what  you  speak  to  them  in  the  more  condescending  and 
familiar  way  of  applying  the  answers  of  the  catechism. 
Never  did  any  minister  repent  of  his  labor  in  catechis- 
ing ;  thousands  have  blessed  God  for  the  wonderful 
success  which  has  attended  it.  The  most  honorable 
man  of  God  should  consider  it  no  abasement  or  abate- 
ment of  his  honor,  to  stoop  to  this  way  of  teaching. 
Yea,  some  eminent  pastors  in  their  old  age,  when  other 
labors  have  been  too  hard  for  them,  have,  like  the 
famous  old  Gerson,  wholly  given  themselves  up  to 
catechising. 

Those  pastors  who  so  love  a  glorious  Christ  as  to 
regard  his  word,  "Feed  my  lambs,"  will  vary  their 
methods  of  carrying  on  this  exercise,  according  to  par- 
ticular circumstances.  Some  have  chosen  the  way  of 
pastoral  visits ;  and  from  the  memorials  of  one  who 
long  since  did  so,  and  afterward  left  his  advice  to  his 
son  upon  this  subject,  I  will  transcribe  the  following 
passages : 

DIRECTIONS    FOR   PASTORAL   VISITS. 

You  may  resolve  to  visit  all  the  families  belonging 
to  your  congregation  ;  taking  one  afternoon  in  a  week 
for  that  purpose ;  and  it  may  be  proper  to  give  pre- 
vious notice  to  each  family  that  you  intend  at  such  a 
time  to  visit  them.  On  visiting  a  family,  you  may  en- 
deavor, with  addresses  as  forcible  and  respectful  as  pos- 


PASTORAL   VISITS.  67 

sible,  to  treat  with  every  person  particularly  about  their 
everlasting  interests. 

First,  you  may  discourse  with  the  elder  people  upon 
such  points  as  you  think  most  proper  with  them.  Es- 
pecially charge  them  to  maintain  ifamily  prayer ;  and 
obtain  their  promise  of  establishing  it,  if  it  has  been 
hitherto  neglected;  yea,  pray  with  them,  that  you  may 
show  them  how  to  pray,  as  well  as  obtain  their  pur- 
poses for  it.  Yon  may  likewise  press  upon  them  the 
care  of  instructing  their  children  and  servants  in  the 
holy  religion  of  our  Savior,  to  bring  them  up  for  him. 

If  any  with  whom  you  should  have  spoken  are  ab- 
sent, you  may  frequently  leave  one  or  two  solemn 
texts  of  the  sacred  Scripture,  which  you  may  think 
most  suitable  for  them;  desiring  some  one  present 
affectionately  to  remember  you  to  them,  and  from  you 
to  recommend  to  them  that  oracle  of  God. 

You  may  then  call  for  the  children  and  servants ; 
and  putting  to  them  such  questions  of  the  catechism 
as  you  think  fit,  you  may,  from  the  answers,  make 
lively  applications  to  them,  for  engaging  them  to  the 
fear  of  God.  You  may  frequently  obtain  from  them 
promises  relating  to  secret  prayer,  reading  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  obedience  to  their  parents  and  masters. 
You  may  also  frequently  set  before  them  the  proposals 
of  the  new  covenant,  after  you  have  labored  for  their 
conviction  and  awakening,  till  with  floods  of  tears 
they  expressly  declare  their  consent  to  it,  and  their 
acceptance  of  it. 

Some  of  the  younger  people  you  may  request  to 
bring  their  Bibles,  and  read  tc  you  from  thence  two  or 
three  verses,  to  which  you  may  direct  them  ;  this  will 
try  whether  or  not  they  can  read  well.  You  may  then 
encourage  them  to  think  on  such  things  as  you  remark 


68  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

from  tne  passage,  and  never  to  forget  those  "  faithful 
sayings"  of  God.  You  may  sometimes  leave  with 
them  some  serious  question,  which  you  may  tell  them 
they  shall  not  answer  to  you,  but  to  themselves;  such 
as  the  following:  "  What  have  I  been  doing  ever  since 
I  came  into  the  world,  about  the  great  errand  upon 
which  God  sent  me  into  the  world  ?"  "  If  God  should 
now  call  me  out  of  the  world,  what  would  become  of 
me  throughout  eternal  ages?"  "  Have  I  ever  yet  by 
faith  carried  my  perishing  soul  to  my  only  Savior, 
both  for  righteousness  and  salvation?" 

You  will  enjoy  the  wonderful  presence  of  God  in 
this  undertaking  ;  and  will  seldom  leave  a  family  with- 
out having  observed  many  tears  of  devotion  shed  by 
all  sorts  of  persons  in  it.  As  you  can  seldom  visit 
more  than  four  or  five  families  in  an  afternoon,  t!he 
work  may  be  as  laborious  as  any  part  of  your  ministry. 

My  son,  I  advise  you  to  set  a  special  value  on  that 
part  of  your  ministry  which  is  to  be  discharged  iu 
pastoral  visits.  You  will  not  only  do  good,  but  also 
ffet  good,  by  your  conversation  with  all  sorts  of  per- 
sons, in  thus  visiting  them  "  from  house  to  house." 
And  you  will  never  more  "  walk  in  the  Spirit,"  than 
when  you  thus  walk  among  your  flock,  to  do  what 
good  you  can  among  them. 

In  your  visits  an  incredible  amount  of  good  may  be 
done  by  distributing  little  books  of  piety.  You  may, 
without  much  expense,  be  furnished  with  such  books, 
to  suit  all  persons  and  circumstances;  books  for  the 
old  and  for  the  young — for  persons  under  afflictions 
or  desertions — for  persons  who  are  under  the  power 
of  particular  vices — for  those  who  neglect  domestic 
religion — for  sea-faring  persons — for  the  erroneous — 
for  those  whom  you  would  quicken  and  prepare  to 


PASTORAL   VISITS.  69 

approach  the  table  of  the  Lord,  and  catechisms  for 
the  ignorant.  You  may  remarliably  enforce  your  ad- 
monitions, by  leaving  suitable  books  in  the  hands  of 
those  with  whom  you  have  conversed;  you  may  give 
them  to  understand,  that  you  would  be  still  considered 
as  conversing  with  them  by  these  books,  after  you 
have  left  them.  And  in  this  way  you  may  speak 
more  than  you  have  time  to  do  in  any  personal  inter- 
view; yea,  sometimes,  more  than  you  would  wish  to 
do.  By  good  books  a  salt  of  piety  is  scattered  about 
a  neighborhood. 

Pastors,  uphold  and  cherish  good  schools  in  your 
towns !  And  be  prevailed  upon  occasionally  to  visit 
the  schools.  That  holy  man,  Mr.  Thomas  White,  ex- 
pressed a  desire,  "  that  able  and  zealous  ministers 
would  sometimes  preach  at  the  schools;  because 
preaching  is  the  converting  ordinance;  and  the  chil- 
dren will  be  obliged  to  hear  with  more  attention  in 
the  school  than  in  the  public  congregation ;  and  the 
ministers  might  here  condescend  to  such  expressions 
as  might  produce  most  effect  upon  them,  and  yet  not 
be  so  fit  for  a  public  congregation."  I  have  read  the 
following  account  of  one  who  was  awakened  by  this 
advice  to  act  accordingly :  "  At  certain  times  he  suc- 
cessively visited  the  schools.  When  he  went  to  a 
school,  he  first  offered  a  prayer  for  the  children,  as 
much  adapted  to  their  condition  as  he  could  make  it. 
Then  he  went  through  the  catechism,  or  as  much  of 
it  as  he  thought  necessary,  making  the  several  chil- 
dren repeat  the  several  answers;  but  he  divided  the 
questions,  that  every  article  in  the  answers  might  be 
understood  by  them,  expecting  them  to  answer,  Yes, 
or  No,  to  each  of  these  divisions.  He  also  put  to  them 
such  questions  as  would  make  them  see  and  own  their 


70  ESSAYS   TO    DO    GOOD. 

duties,  and  often  express  a  resolution  to  perform  them. 
Then  he  preaclied  a  short  sermon  to  them,  exceed- 
ingly plain,  on  some  suitable  Scripture,  with  all  pos- 
sible ingenuity  and  earnestness,  in  order  to  excite  iheir 
attentive  regard.  After  this  he  singled  out  a  number 
of  scholars,  perhaps  eight  or  ten,  and  bade  each  of 
them  turn  to  a  certain  Scripture,  which  lie  made  them 
read  to  the  whole  school ;  giving  them  to  see,  by  his 
brief  remarks  upon  it,  that  it  contained  something 
which  it  particularly  concerned  children  to  notice. 
Then  he  concluded  with  a  short  prayer  for  a  blessing 
on  the  school,  and  on  the  tutors." 

While  we  are  upon  the  subject  of  visiting,  I  would 
observe,  that  you  will  not  fail  to  visit  the  poor',  as  well 
as  the  rich;  and  often  mention  the  condition  of  the 
poor,  in  your  conversation  with  the  rich.  Keep  a  list 
of  them.  Recollect,  that  although  the  wind  does  not 
feed  any  one,  yet  that  it  turns  the  mill  which  grinds 
the  corn,  the  food  of  the  poor.  When  conversing 
with  the  rich,  you  may  do  this  for  the  poor  who  are 
on  your  list. 

In  visiting  the  poor,  you  will  take  occasion  to  dis- 
pense your  alms  among  them.  All  ministers  are  not 
alike  furnished  for  alms,  but  all  should  be  disposed  for 
them.  They  that  have  small  families,  or  large  inte- 
rests, ought  to  be  shining  examples  of  liberality  to  the 
poor,  and  pour  down  their  alms  upon  them  like  the 
showers  of  heaven.  All  should  endeavor  to  do  what 
they  can  in  this  way.  What  says  Nazianzen  of  his 
reverend  father's  alms-deeds  ?  They  will  find,  that  the 
more  they  do,  (provided  it  be  done  Avith  discretion,) 
the  more  they  are  able  to  do;  the  loaves  will  multiply 
in  the  distribution.  This  bounty  of  yours  to  the  poor 
will  procure  a  wonderful  esteem  and  success  to  your 


MINISTERS. 


7i 


ministry.  It  will  be  an  irrefragable  demonstration 
that  you  believe  what  you  speak  concerning  all  the 
duties  of  Christianity,  but  particularly  those  of  libe- 
rality, a  faithful  discharge  of  our  stewardship,  and  a 
mind  weaned  from  the  love  of  this  world;  it  will  de- 
monstrate your  belief  of  a  future  state;  it  will  vindi- 
cate you  from  the  imputation  of  a  worldly  man;  it 
will  embolden  and  fortify  you  when  you  call  upon 
others  to  do  good,  and  to  abound  in  those  sacrifices 
with  which  God  is  well  pleased. 

You  will  do  well  to  keep  a  watchful  eye  on  the  dis- 
orders which  may  arise  and  increase  in  your  neigh- 
borhood. Among  other  ways  of  suppressing  these 
things,  you  may  form  societies  for  this  purpose ; 
obtain  a  fit  number  of  prudent,  pious,  well-disposed 
men,  to  associate  with  this  intention,  and  employ  their 
discretion  and  activity  for  your  assistance  in  these 
holy  purposes. 

How  serviceable  may  ministers  be  to  one  another, 
and  to  all  the  churches,  in  their  several  associations! 
Indeed,  it  is  a  pity  that  there  should  ever  be  the  least 
occasional  "meeting  of  ministers,"  without  some  useful 
thing  proposed  in  it. 

Finally. — After  all  the  generous  essays  and  labors  to 
do  good  that  may  fill  your  lives,  your  people  will  pro- 
bably treat  you  with  ingratitude.  Your  salaries  will 
be  meaner  than  those  at  Geneva,  They  will  neglect 
you;  they  will  oppress  you;  they  will  withhold  from 
you  what  they  have  engaged,  and  you  have  expected. 
You  have  now  one  more  opportunity  to  do  good,  and 
so  to  glorify  your  Savior.  Your  patience,  O  ye  tried 
servants  of  God,  your  patience  will  do  it  wonderfully! 
To  "bear  evil"  is  to  "do  good."  The  more  patient 
you  are  under  ill  usage,  the  more  you  exhibit  a  glo- 


72  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

rious  Christ  to  your  people,  in  your  conformity  to 
your  adorable  Savior.  The  more  conformed  you  are 
to  him,  the  more  prepared  you  are,  perhaps,  for  some 
amendment  of  your  condition  in  this  world,  most  cer- 
tainly for  the  rewards  of  the  heavenly  world,  when 
you  shall  appear  before  the  Lord,  .who  says,  "I  know 
thy  works,  and  charity,  and  service,  and  faith,  and  thy 
patience." 

It  was  said  of  Ignatius,  "that  he  carried  Christ  about 
with  him  in  his  heart:"  and  this  I  will  say,  if  to  re- 
present a  glorious  Christ  to  the  view,  the  love,  and  the 
admiration  of  all  people,  be  the  grand  intention  of  your 
life ;  if  j'ou  are  desirous  to  be  a  star  to  lead  men  to 
Christ;  if  you  are  exquisitely  studious  that  the  holi- 
ness and  yet  the  gentleness  of  a  glorious  Christ  may 
shine  in  your  conversation ;  if  in  your  public  discour- 
ses you  do  with  rapture  bring  in  the  mention  of  a  glo- 
rious Christ  in  every  paragraph,  and  on  every  occasion 
where  he  is  to  be  spoken  of;  and  if  in  your  private 
conversation  you  contrive  to  insinuate  something  of 
his  glories  and  praises  wherever  it  may  be  decently 
introduced;  finally,  if  when  you  find  that  a  glorious 
Christ  is  the  more  considered  and  acknowledged  by 
your  means,  it  fills  you  v/ith  "joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory,"  and  you  exclaim,  "Lord,  this  is  my  desired 
happiness!"  Truly,  you  then  live  to  good  purpose, 
you  "  do  good  "  emphatically  ! 

There  was  a  worthy  minister  whom  the  great  Cran- 
mer  designed  for  preferment,  and  he  gave  this  reason 
of  his  design:  "  He  seeks  nothing,  he  longs  for  nothing, 
he  dreams  about  nothing,  bu.t  Jesus  Christ."  Verily, 
such  "  men  of  Christ "  are  "  men  of  God ;"  they  are 
the  favorites  of  Heaven,  and  shall  be  favored  with  op- 
portunities to  do  good  above  any  men  in  the  world : 


CHURCHES.  73 

they  are  the  men  whom  the  King  of  heaven  will  de- 
light to  honor. 

PROPOSALS    TO   CHURCHES    FOR    DOING    GOOD. 

We  have  already  proposed  to  the  Pastors  of  church- 
es various  ways  of  doing  good  ;  we  shall  now  lay  be- 
fore the  Churches  themselves  some  proposal  of  ob- 
jects, in  which  they  may  do  well  to  join  their  pastors. 

Days  of  Prayer,  occasionably  observed,  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  obtaining  the  sanctifying  influences 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  rising  generation,  have 
had  a  marvellous  efficacy  in  producing  a  religious  pos- 
terity in  the  land,  and  "a  seed  accounted  to  the  Lord 
for  a  generation."  Such  an  acknowledgment  of  the 
necessity  and  excellency  of  supernatural  grace  would 
be  a  very  probable  preparative  and  introduction  to  the 
communication  of  it  5  and  when  the  children  see  their 
parents  thus  earnestly  seeking  the  grace  of  God  for 
them,  it  would  have  a  natural  tendency  to  awaken  them 
to  an  earnest  seeking  of  it  for  themselves.  The  ser- 
mons, also,  preached  by  the  ministers  on  such  solemn 
occasions,  would,  probably,  be  very  awakening  ones. 
That  this  proposal  has  been  so  little  attended  to,  is  la- 
mentable and  remarkable:  but  "they  all  slumbered 
and  slept." 

There  is  another  proposal  which  has  been  tendered 
to  all  our  churches,  and  regarded  by  some  of  them : 

That  the  several  churches,  having,  in  an  instrument 
proper  for  the  purpose,  made  a  catalogue  of  such  things 
as  have  indisputably  been  found  amiss  among  them/ 
do  with  all  seriousness  and  solemnity  pass  their  votes, 
that  they  account  such  things  to  be  very  offensive 
evils,  and  that,  renouncing  all  dependence  on  their  own 
strength  to  avoid  such  evils,  they  humbly  implore  the 
7 


74  ESSAYS   TO    DO    GOOD. 

help  of  divine  grace,  to  assist  them  in  watching  against 
the  said  evils  both  in  themselves  and  in  one  another: 
and  that  the  communicants  resolve,  frequently  to  re- 
flect upon  these  their  acknowledgments  and  protesta- 
tions, as  perpetual  monitors  to  them,  to  prevent  the 
miscarriages  by  which  too  many  professors  are  so 
easily  overtaken. 

It  has  been  considered,  that  such  humble  recogni- 
tions of  duty  will  not  only  be  accepted  by  our  God,  as 
declarations  for  him,  upon  which  he  will  declare  for 
us ;  but  also,  that  they  are  the  way  of  the  new  cove- 
nant, for  obtaining  assistance  to  perform  our  duty. 

A  particular  church  may  be  an  illustrious  pillar  of 
the  truth,  by  -considering  what  important  truths  may 
call  for  special,  signal,  open  testimonies ;  and  they  may 
excite  their  pastors  to  the  composing  of  such  testimo- 
nies, and  likewise  assist  them  in  the  publication  of 
them.  It  is  probable  that  God  would  accompany  such 
testimonies  with  a  marvellous  efficacy  to  suppress 
growing  errors  and  evils.  A  proposal  of  this  nature 
may  be  worthy  of  some  consideration. 

1.  It  were  desirable  that  every  particular  church 
should  be  furnished  with  a  stock,  that  may  be  a  con- 
stant and  ready  fund  for  the  propagation  of  religion; 
and  that  every  minister  would  use  his  best  endeavors, 
both  by  his  own  contribution,  according  to  his  ability, 
and  by  applying  to  well-disposed  persons  under  his 
influence,  to  increase  the  stock,  either  in  the  way  of 
public  collections  made  at  certain  periods,  or  in  that 
of  more  private  and  occasional  communications. 

2.  This  evangelical  treasury  may  be  lodged  in  the 
hands  of  the  deacons  of  the  respective  churches  in 
which  it  is  collected ;  who  are  to  keep  exact  accounts 
of  the  receipts  and  disbursements,  and  let  nothing  be 


SCHOOL  TEACHERS.  tO 

drawn  from  it  without  the  knowledge  and  consent  of 
the  church  to  which  it  belongs. 

3.  The  first  and  main  intention  of  this  evangelical 
treasury  is  to  be,  the  propagation  of  religion;  and 
therefore,  when  any  attempts  of  usefulness  are  to  be 
made  on  unevangelized  places,  the  neighboring  minis- 
ters may  consult  each  of  the  churches,  what  propor- 
tion they  may  allow,  out  of  their  evangelical  treasury, 
toward  the  support  of  so  noble  an  undertaking. 

4.  This  evangelical  treasury  may  be  applied  to  other 
pious  uses,  and  especially  to  such  as  any  particular 
church  may  think  fit,  for  the  service  of  religion  in 
their  ov/n  vicinity  :  such  as  the  sending  of  Bibles  and 
catechisms  to  be  dispersed  among  the  poor,  where  it 
may  he  thought  necessary.  Likewise  giving  assist- 
ance to  new  congregations,  in  their  first  attempts  to 
build  meeting-houses  for  the  public  worship  of  God 
with  scriptural  purity. 

Query — Our  churches  have  their  sacramental  col- 
lections, and  it  is  not  fit  indeed  that  they  should  be 
without  them.  The  primitive  Christians  d  id  the  same : 
Justin  Martyr  informs  us  of  the  "  collections,"  and 
Tertullian  of  the  "  gifts  of  piety,"  which  were  made 
on  such  occasions.  But  would  not  our  churches  do 
well  to  augment  their  liberality  in  their  grateful  and 
joyful  collections  at  the  table  of  the  Lord,  and  to  re- 
solve that  what  is  now  collected  shall  be  part  of  their 
evangelical  treasury ;  not  only  for  the  supph^  of  the 
table  and  the  relief  of  the  poor,  but  also  for  such  other 
services  to  the  kingdom  of  God  as  they  may,  from 
time  to  time,  find  occasion  to  countenance  ? 

THE  DUTIES  OF  SCHOOL  TEACHERS. 

The  School  Teacher  has  many  opportunities  of  do- 
ing good.     God  make  him  sensible  of  his  obligations! 


76  ESSAYS    TO   DO   GOOD. 

We  read,  that  "  the  little  ones  have  their  angels."  It 
is  hard  work  to  keep  a  school ;  but  it  is  God's  work, 
and  it  may  be  so  managed  as  to  be  like  the  work  of 
angels.  Melchior  Adams  properly  styled  it  "  An  office 
most  laborious,  yet  to  God  most  pleasing." 

Teachers  !  will  you  not  regard  the  children  under 
your  care,  as  committed  to  you  by  the  glorious  Lord, 
with  such  a  charge  as  this :  "  Take  them,  aud  bring 
tliem  up  for  me,  and  I  will  pay  you  your  wages!" 
Whenever  a  new  scholar  comes  under  your  care,  you 
may  say,  "  Here  my  Lord  sends  me  another  object, 
for  whom  I  may  do  something,  that  he  may  be  useful 
in  the  world."  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  you, 
and  consider  what  you  may  do,  instrumentally,  that 
of  such  may  be  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Let  it  be  your  grand  design,  to  instill  into  their  minds 
the  documents  of  piety.  Consider  it  as  their  chief  in- 
terest, and  yours  also,  that  they  may  so  know  tlie 
Holy  Scriptures  as  to  become  wise  to  salvation.  Em- 
brace every  opportunity  of  dropping  some  honey  from 
the  rock  upon  them.  Happy  the  children,  and  as  hap- 
py the  teacher,  where  they  who  relate  the  history  of 
their  conversion  may  say,  "There  was  a  school-teacher 
who  brought  us  to  Christ."  You  have  been  told,  "  Cer- 
tainly, it  is  a  nobler  work  to  make  the  little  ones  know 
their  Savior  than  know  their  letters.  The  lessons  of 
Jesus  are  nobler  than  the  lessons  of  Cato. 

Catechising  should  be  a  frequent^  at  least  a  weekly 
exercise  in  the  school ;  and  it  sliould  be  conducted  in 
the  most  edifying,  applicatory,  and  admonitory  manner. 

Dr  Reynolds,  in  a  funeral  sermon  for  an  eminent 
school-teacher,  has  the  following  passage,  worthy  to 
be  written  in  letters  of  gold :  "  If  grammar  schools  have 
holy  and  learned  men  set  over  them,  not  only  the  minds. 


SCHOOL  TEACHERS.  77 

but  also  the  souls  of  the  children  might  there  be  en- 
riched, and  the  woric  both  of  learning  and  of  grace  be 
early  commenced  in  them."  In  order  to  this,  let  it  be 
proposed,  that  you  not  only  pray  with  your  scholars 
daily,  but  also  take  occasion,  from  the  public  sermons, 
and  from  remarkable  occurrences  in  your  neighbor- 
hood, frequently  to  inculcate  the  lessons  of  piety  on 
the  children. 

Instructors  in  colleges  may  do  well  to  converse  with 
each  of  their  pupils  alone,  with  all  possible  solemnity 
and  affection,  concerning  their  internal  state,  concern- 
ing repentance  for  sin,  and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and 
to  bring  them  to  express  resolutions  (-f  serious  piety. 
You  may  do  a  thousand  things  to  render  your  pupils 
orthodox  in  sentiment,  regular  in  practice,  and  quali- 
fied for  public  service. 

I  have  read  of  a  teacher  who  made  it  his  constant 
practice,  in  every  recitation,  to  take  occasion  from 
something  or  other  that  occurred,  to  drop  at  least  one 
sentence  that  had  a  tendency  to  promote  the  fear  of 
God  in  their  hearts.  This  method  sonietimes  cost  him 
a  good  deal  of  study,  but  the  good  effect  sufficiently 
recompensed  him  for  it. 

I  should  be  glad  to  see  certain  authors  received  into 
the  grammar  schools  as  classical,  which  are  not  gene- 
rally admitted  there,  such  as  Castalio  in  the  Latin 
tongue,  and  Posselius  in  the  Greek ;  and  I  could  wish, 
with  some  modern  writers,  that  "  a  north-west  pas- 
sage" for  the  attainment  of  Latin  might  be  discovered; 
that  instead  of  a  journey  which  might  be  despatched 
in  a  few  days,  they  might  not  be  obliged  to  wander, 
like  the  children  of  Israel,  many  years  in  the  wilder- 
ness. I  might  recite  the  complaint  of  Austin,  "  that 
little  boys  are  taught  in  the  schools  the  filthy  actions 
7* 


78  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

of  the  pagan  gods,  for  reciting  which,"  said  he,  "  I 
was  called  a  boy  of  promise ;"  or  the  complaint  of 
Luther,  "  that  our  schools  are  pagan,  rather  than 
Christian."  I  might  mention  what  a  late  author  says, 
"  I  knew  an  aged  and  eminent  schoolmaster,  who, 
after  keeping  a  school  about  fifty  years,  said,  with  a 
sad  countenance,  that  it  was  a  great  trouble  to  him  that 
he  had  spent  so  much  time  in  reading  pagan  authors 
to  his  scholars,  and  wished  it  were  customary  to  read 
such  a  book  as  Duport's  verses  on  Job,  rather  than 
Homer,  &c.  I  pray  God  to  put  it  into  the  hearts  of 
my  countrymen  to  purge  our  schools;  that  instead  of 
learning  vain  fictions  and  filthy  stories,  they  may  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  word  of  God,  and  with 
books  containing  grave  sayings,  and  things  which 
may  make  them  truly  wise  and  useful  in  the  world." 

Among  the  occasions  for  promoting  religion  in  the 
scholars,  one  in  the  writing'  schools  deserves  peculiar 
notice.  I  have  read  of  an  atrocious  sinner  who  was 
converted  to  God  by  accidentally  reading  the  follow- 
ing sentence  of  Austin  written  in  a  window :  "  He 
who  has  promised  pardon  to  the  penitent  sinner,  has 
not  promised  repentance  to  the  presumptuous  one." 
Who  can  tell  what  good  may  be  done  to  the  young 
scholar  by  a  sentence  in  his  copy-book?  Let  their 
copies  be  composed  of  sentences  worthy  to  be  had  in 
everlasting  remembrance — of  sentences  which  shall 
contain  the  brightest  maxims  of  wisdom,  worthy  to 
be  written  on  the  fleshly  tables  of  their  hearts,  to  be 
graven  with  the  point  of  a  diamond  there.  God  has 
blessed  such  sentences  to  many  scholars ;  they  have 
been  useful  to  them  all  their  days. 

In  the  grammar  school,  also,  the  scholars  may  be 
directed,  for  their  exercises,  to  turn  into  Latin  such 


PHYSICIANS.  79 

passages  as  may  be  useful  for  their  instruction  in  tiie 
principles  of  Ciiristianity,  and  furnish  them  with  sup- 
plies from  "  the  tower  of  David."  Their  letters  also 
may  be  on  the  subjects  which  may  be  friendly  to  the 
interests  of  virtue. 

I  vWll  add,  it  is  very  desirable  to  manage  the  disci- 
pline  of  the  school  by  means  of  rewards,  rather  than 
of  punishments.  Many  methods  of  rewarding  the 
diligent  and  deserving  may  be  invented ;  and  a  boy  of 
an  ingenious  temper,  by  the  expectation  of  reward, 
will  do  his  best.  You  esteem  Quintillian.  Hear  him : 
"  Use  stripes  sparingly ;  rather  let  the  youth  be  stimu- 
lated by  praise,  and  by  the  distinctions  conferred  on 
his  classmates."  If  a  fault  must  be  punished,  let  in- 
struction, both  to  the  delinquent  and  to  the  spectator, 
accompany  the  correction.  Let  the  odious  name  of 
the  sin  which  enforced  the  correction  be  declared ;  and 
let  nothing  be  done  in  anger,  but  with  every  mark  of 
tenderness  and  concern. 

PROPOSALS    TO    PHYSICIANg. 

The  physician  enjoys  many  opportunities  of  doing 
good,  and  so  rendering  himself  "  a  beloved  physician." 
For  this  purpose  we  shall  offer  our  advice. 

From  pious  physicians  may  be  expected  a  charity 
and  a  usefulness  which  may  entitle  them  to  a  remem- 
brance in  that  "  Book  of  Life,"  in  which  a  name  will 
be  deemed  far  more  valuable  than  any  which  are  re- 
corded in  "  The  lives  of  illustrious  physicians." 

By  serious  and  shining  piety  in  your  own  example, 
you  will  bear  a  glorious  testimony  in  the  cause  of  God 
and  religion.  You  will  glorify  the  God  of  nature,  and 
the  only  Savior.     Your  acquaintance  with  nature  will 


80  ESSAYS   TO   DO    GOOD. 

indeed  be  your  condemnation,  if  you  do  it  not.  No- 
tliing  is  so  unnatural  as  to  be  irreligious.  The  religion 
of  the  physician  has  the  least  reason  of  any  under  hea- 
ven to  be  an  "  irreligion."  They  have  acted  the  most 
unreasonable  part,  who  have  given  occasion  for  that 
complaint  of  Christians,  "  Where  there  are  three  phy- 
sicians, there  are  three  atheists." 

Gentlemen,  you  will  never  account  yourselves  such 
adepts  as  to  be  at  a  stand  in  your  studies,  and  make  no 
further  progress  in  your  inquiries  into  the  nature  of 
diseases  and  their  remedies.  "  A  physician  arrived  at 
his  full  growth,'^  looks  dangerously  and  ominously. 
You  will  be  diligent,  studious,  inquisitive ;  and  continue 
to  read  much,  think  more,  and  pray  most  of  all ;  and 
be  solicitous  to  invent  and  dispense  something  very 
considerable  for  the  good  of  mankind,  which  none  be- 
fore you  had  discovered :  be  solicitous  to  make  some 
addition  to  the  treasures  of  your  noble  profession.  To 
obtain  the  honor  of  being  a  Sydenham  may  not  be  in 
your  power  J  yet  "  to  do  something"  is  a  laudable  am- 
bition. 

By  the  benefit  they  expect  from  you,  and  by  the 
charms  of  your  polite  education  and  manners,  you  are 
sometimes  introduced  into  the  familiar  acquaintance 
of  great  men ;  persons  of  the  first  quality  entertain  you 
•with  freedom  and  friendship.  What  an  advantage 
does  this  furnish  you  for  doing  good  !  The  poor  Jews, 
both  in  the  east  and  the  west,  have  procured  many  ad- 
vantages by  means  of  their  countrymen,  who  have 
risen  to  be  physicians  to  the  princes  of  the  countries 
in  which  they  reside.  Your  permission  "  to  feel  the 
pulse"  of  eminent  persons,  may  enable  you  to  promote 
many  a  good  work;  you  need  not  be  fold  what;  you 
will  soon  perceive  excellent  methods,  if  you  will  only 


PHYSICIANS.  81 

deliberate  upon  it:  "What  proposals  may  I  make  to- 
my  patient,  by  attending  to  wliich,  he  may  do  good  in 
the  world  ?"  You  know  how  ready  the  sick  are  to 
hear  of  good  proposals,  and  how  seasonable  it  is  to 
urge  such  upon  them,  when  tlie  commencement  of  re- 
covery from  sickness  calls  for  their  gratitude  to  the 
God  of  their  health.  And  for  persons  also  who  are  in 
health,  you  may  find  "seasonable  times  to  drop  a 
hint." 

Physicians  are  frequently  men  of  universal  learn- 
ing; they  have  sufRcient  ability,  and  sometimes  oppor- 
tunity to  write  books  on  a  vast  variety  of  subjects, 
whereby  knowledge  and  virtue  may  be  greatly  advan- 
ced in  the  world.  A  catalogue  of  books  written  by 
learned  physicians,  on  various  subjects  besides  those 
of  their  own  profession,  would  in  itself  almost  make 
a  volume.  In  the  great  army  of  learned  physicians, 
many  have  published  most  valuable  works  on  the 
"  word  which  the  Lord  has  given,"  and  for  the  service 
of  his  church,  and  of  the  world.  Physicians  of  such 
distinguished  merit  deserve  the  grateful  remembrance 
of  every  benevolent  heart.  I  propose  them  for  imita- 
tion, that  many  may  follow  such  examples. 

Physicians  have  innumerable  opportunities  to  assist 
the  poor,  and  to  give  them  advice  gratis.  It  was  a 
noble  saying  of  Cicero,  "  A  man  cannot  have  a  better 
fortune  than  to  be  able,  nor  a  better  temper  than  to  be 
willing,  to  save  many."  But  I  will  set  before  you  a 
higher  consideration  than  that  with  which  a  pagan 
was  ever  acquainted.  The  more  charity,  compassion, 
and  condescension  Avith  which  you  treat  the  poor,  the 
nearer  will  you  approach  to  the  greatest  and  highest  of 
all  glories— an  imitation  of  your  adorable  Savior.  You 
will  readily  say,  "Why  should  I  esteem  that  mean, 


82  ESSAYS   TO   DO    GOOD. 

which  reflected  honor  on  Christ  ?"  In  comparison  of 
this  consolation,  it  will  be  a  small  thing  to"  say  to  you, 
that  your  coming  among  the  poor  will  be  to  them  like 
the  descent  of  the  Angel  of  Bethesda.  We  will  not 
presume  to  prescribe  to  you  what  good  you  shall  do 
to  the  poor ;  but  beg  leave  to  enter  an  objection  against 
your  taking  any  fees  on  the  Lord's  day ;  because  the 
time  is  not  yours,  but  tne  Lord's. 

When  we  consider  how  much  the  lives  of  men  are 
in  the  hands  of  God,  what  a  dependence  we  have  on 
the  God  of  our  health,  for  our  cure  when  we  have  lost 
it ;  what  strong  and  remarkable  proofs  we  have  had  of 
angels,  by  their  communications  or  operations,  con- 
tributing to  the  cure  of  the  diseases  with  which  mor- 
tals have  been  oppressed  ;  and  the  marvellous  efficacy 
of  prayer  for  the  recovery  of  a  sick  brother  who  has 
not  sinned  a  '•  sin  unto  death:" — what  better  thing  can 
be  recommended  to  a  physician,  who  desires  to  "  do 
good,"  than  this— to  be  a  man  of  prayer?  In  your 
daily  and  secret  prayer,  carry  every  one  of  your  pa- 
tients, as  5^ou  would  your  own  children,  to  the  glorious 
Lord  our  healer,  for  his  healing  mercies  ;  place  them, 
as  far  as  your  prayers  will  do  it,  under  the  beams  of  the 
"Sun  of  Righteousness."  And  as  any  new  case  of 
your  patients  may  occur,  especially  if  there  be  any 
difficulty  in  it,  why  should  you  not  make  your  particu- 
lar and  solicitous  application  to  Heaven  for  direction  ? 
"  O  Lord,  I  know  that  the  way  of  man  is  not  in  him- 
self; nor  is  it  in  man  that  walketh,  to  direct  his  steps  ; 
nor  in  man  that  healeth,  to  perform  his  cure."  Hip- 
pocrates advised  physicians,  when  they  visited  their 
patients,  to  consider  whether  there  might  not  be  some- 
thing supernatural  in  the  disease.  Truly,  in  some  sense, 
this  is  always  the  case,  and  should  be  so  considered. 


PHYSICIANS.  83 

What  a  heavenly  life  might  you  lead,  if  your  profes- 
sion were  carried  on  with  as  many  visits  to  Heaven  as 
you  pay  to  your  patients  !  A  famous  Jew  of  the  for- 
mer century,  published  at  Venice,  a  book  entitled, 
"  Precious  Stones."  There  are  several  prayers  in  the 
book,  and  among  them  a  pretty  long  one  "  For  phy- 
sicians when  they  go  to  visit  their  patients."  Surely 
Christianity  will  not,  in  her  devotions,  fall  short  of 
Judaism ! 

We  read  that  "  heaviness  in  the  heart  of  man  maketh 
it  stoop  ;  but  a  good  word  maketh  it  glad.  A  cheer- 
ful heart  do.eth  good  like  a  medicine ;  but  a  broken 
spirit  drieth  up  the  bones."  Baglivi  is  not  the  only 
physician  who  has  made  the  observation,  "  that  a  great 
many  of  our  diseases  either  arise  from  a  Aveight  of 
cares  lying  on  the  minds  of  men,  or  are  thereby  in- 
creased. Some  diseases  that  seem  incurable,  are  easily 
cured  by  agreeable  conversation.  Disorders  of  the 
mind  first  bring  diseases  on  the  stomach  ;  and  so  tho 
whole  mass  of  blood  gradually  becomes  infected  ;  and 
as  long  as  the  mental  cause  continues,  the  diseases  may 
indeed  change  their  forms,  but  they  rarely  quit  tho 
patients."  Tranquillity  of  mind  will  do  wonderful 
things  toward  the  relief  of  bodily  maladies.  It  is  not 
without  reason  that  Hosman  insists  on  tranquillity  of 
mind  as  the  chief  among  the  "  means  to  promote  lon- 
gevity ;"  and  says  that  this  is  the  meaning  of  that  pas- 
sage :  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  tendeth  to  life."  They 
who  have  practised  the  "art  of  curing  by  expecta- 
tion," have  made  experiments  of  what  the  mind  will 
do  toward  the  cure  of  the  body ;  this  may  be  also 
known  by  practising  the  "  art  of  consolation."  I  pro- 
pose, then,  that  the  physician  endeavor  to  find  out,  by 
all  possible  ingenuity  of  conversation,  what  matter  of 


84  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

anxiety  there  may  have  been  upon  the  mind  of  tne 
patient,  that  has  rendered  his  life  burdensome.  Hav- 
ing discovered  the  burden,  use  all  possible  means  to 
take  it  off.  Offer  him  such  thoughts  as  may  be  the 
best  anodynes  for  his  distressed  mind;  especially  the 
"  riglit  thoughts  of  the  righteous,"  and  the  means  of 
obtaining  composure  of  mind  upon  religious  princi- 
ples. Give  him  a  prospect,  if  you  can,  of  some  deliver- 
ance from  his  distresses,  or  some  abatement  of  them. 
Excite  in  him  as  pleasing  thoughts  as  possible ;  scatter 
the  clouds,  and  remove  the  loads  with  which  his  mind 
is  perplexed,  especially  by  representing  and  magnify- 
ing the  mercy  of  God,  in  Christ,  to  him.  It  is  possible, 
sir,  that  in  this  way  also  you  may  find  abundant  op- 
portunities of  usefulness,  by  doing  yourself,  or  by  bring- 
ing others  to  do  kindness  to  the  miserable. 

What  should  hinder  you  from  considering  the  soxds 
of  your  patients ;  their  spiritual  health ;  what  they 
have  done,  and  what  they  have  to  do,  that  they  may 
be  on  good  terras  with  Heaven  ?  You  may  take  occa- 
sion, from  their  natural  disorders,  to  affect  your  own 
mind,  and  theirs  also,  with  a  sense  of  our  correspond- 
ing moral  ones.  You  may  make  your  conversation 
with  them  a  vehicle  for  conveying  such  admonitions 
of  piety  as  may  be  most  needful  for  them,  that  they 
may  be  found  neither  unprepared  for  death,  nor  un- 
thankful and  unfruitful,  if  their  lives  should  be  pro- 
longed. This  you  may  do,  without  any  intrusion  on 
the  office  of  the  minister ;  on  the  contrary,  you  may  at 
the  same  time  do  a  very  good  office  for  the  minister, 
as  well  as  for  the  patient ;  and  may  inform  the  minis- 
ter when,  where,  and  how  he  may  be  very  serviceable 
among  the  miserable,  with  whose  cases  he  might  other- 
wise remain  unacquainted.  The  "  art  of  healing  "  was, 


PHYSICIANS.  85 

you  know,  first  brought  into  a  system  by  men  who  had 
the  "care  of  souls;"  and  I  know  not  why  those  who 
profess  that  noble  "  art '' should  wholly  cast  off  that 
"  care."  Perhaps  you  remember  to  have  read  of  a  king 
who  was  also  a  physician,'  and  who  gave  this  reason 
why  the  Greeks  had  diseases  among  them  which  re- 
mained so  much  un^ured  :  "Because  they  neglected 
their  souls,  the  chief  thing  of  ail.''  For  my  part,  I 
know  uot  why  the  physician  should  wholly  neglect  the 
souls  of  his  patients.  And  1  desire  to  encourage  each 
physician  himself  continually  to  go  to  God  our  Savior, 
and  as  far  as  possible  bring  all  his  patients  to  him  also. 

Finally. — An  industrious  and  ingenious  writer  of 
3' our  profession  has  a  passage  which  I  will  here  insert, 
because  very  many  of  you  can  speak  the  same  lan- 
guage ;  and  by  inserting  it,  I  hope  to  increase  the 
number. 

"I  know  no  poor  creature  that  ever  came  to  me,  in 
the  whole  course  of  my  practice,  that  once  went  from 
me  without  my  desired  help,  gratis.  And  I  have  ac- 
counted the  restoration  of  such  a  poor  and  wretched 
creature  a  greater  blessing  to  me  than  if  I  had  procur- 
ed the  wealth  of  both  the  Indies.  I  cannot  so  well  ex- 
press myself  concerning  this  matter,  as  I  can  conceive 
it ;  but  I  am  sure  I  should  have  been  more  pleased,  and 
had  a  greater  satisfaction,  in  seeing  such  a  helple-ss 
creature  restored  to  his  desired  health,  than  if  1  had 
found  a  very  valuable  treasure.  As  I  can  never  repent 
of  the  good  which  I  have  done  this  way,  so  I  resolve 
to  continue  the  same  practice;  for  I  certainly  know  that 
I  have  had  the  signal  blessing  of  God  attending  my 
endeavors," 


8 


86  ESSAYS  TO  DO  GOOD, 


PROPOSALS  TO  RICH  MEN. 


"  I  will  get  me  unto  the  rich  men,  and  will  speak 
unto  them,"  for  they  will  know  the  ways  to  "  do  good," 
and  will  think  what  they  shall  be  able  to  say  when 
they  come  into  the  judgment  of  their  God.  A  person 
of  quality,  quoting  that  passage,  "  The  desire  of  a  man 
is  his  kindness,"  invited  me  so  to  read  it,  "  The  only  de- 
sirable thing  in  a  man  is  his  goodness."  -How  happy 
would  the  world  be,  if  every  person  of  quality  were  to 
become  of  this  persuasion  !  It  is  an  article  in  my  com- 
mission, "  Charge  them  that  are  rich  in  this  world, 
that  they  do  good,  that  they  be  rich  in  good  works, 
ready  to  distribute,  willing  to  communicate."  In  pur- 
suance thereof,  I  will  remind  rich  men  of  the  oppor- 
tunities to  "do  good"  with  which  God,  who  gives 
power  to  get  wealth,  has  favored  and  enriched  them. 
It  is  a  very  good  account  that  has  been  sometimes 
given  of  a  good  man  :  "  As  to  the  wealth  of  this  world, 
he  knew  no  good  in  it,  but  the  doing  of  good  with  it." 
Yea,  those  men  who  have  had  very  little  goodness  in 
them,  yet  in  describing  "  the  manners  of  the  age,"  in 
which  perhaps  they  themselves  have  had  too  deep  a 
share,  have  seen  occasion  to  subscribe  and  publish  this 
prime  dictate  of  reason :  "  We  are  none  the  better  for 
any  thing,  barely  for  possessing  it;  but  it  is  the  appli- 
cation of  it  that  gives  every  thing  its  value.  Whoever 
buries  his  talent  betrays  a  sacred  trust,  and  defrauds 
those  who  stand  in  need  of  it."  Sirs,  you  cannot  but 
acknowledge  that  it  is  the  sovereign  God  who  has  be- 
stowed upon  you  the  riches  which  distinguish  you.  A 
devil  himself,  when  he  saw -a  rich  man,  could  not  but 
make  this  acknowledgment  to  the  God  of  heaven : 
"  Thou  hast  blessed  the  work  of  his  hands,  and  his 


TO    RICH    MEN.  87 

substance  is  increased  in  the  land."  h  is  also  to  be 
hoped  that  you  are  not  unmindful  that  the  riches  in 
your  possession  are  some  of  the  talents  of  which  you 
must  give  an  account  to  the  glorious  Lord  who  has 
entrusted  you  with  them  ;  and  that  you  will  give  your 
account  with  grief,  and  not  with  joy,  if  it  should  be 
found  that  all  your  property  has  been  laid  out  to  gratify 
the  appetites  of  the  flesh,  and  little  or  nothing  of  it  con- 
secrated to  the  service  of  God,  and  of  his  kingdom  in 
the  world.  It  was  said  to  the  priests  of  old,  when  the 
servants  were  assigned  them,  "  Unto  you  they  are 
given  as  a  gift  for  the  Lord."  This  may  be  said  of  all 
our  estates :  what  God  gives  us,  is  not  given  us  for 
ourselves,  but,  "  for  the  Lord."  "  When  God's  gifts 
to  us  are  multiplied,  our  obligations  to  give  are  multi- 
plied." Indeed  there  is  hardly  any  professor  of  Chris- 
tianity so  vicious  that  he  will  not  confess  that  all  his 
property  is  to  be  used  for  honest  purposes,  and  part  of 
it  for  pious  ones.  If  any  plead  their  poverty  to  excuse 
and  exempt  them  from  doing  any  thing  this  way ;  O 
thou  poor  widow  with  thy  two  mites,  immortalized  in 
the  history  of  the  Gospel,  thou  shalt  "  rise  up  in  the 
judgment  with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it;" 
and  let  them  also  know  that  they  take  a  course  to  con- 
demn and  confine  themselves  to  eternal  poverty. 

But  the  main  question  is.  What  proportion  of  a  man's 
income  is  to  be  devoted  to  pious  uses  ?  And  now,  let  it 
not  seem  a  "  hard  saying,"  if  I  tell  you  that  a  tenth 
part  is  the  least  that  you  can  bring  under  a  more  so- 
lemn dedication  to  the  Lord ;  for  whom,  in  one  sense, 
we  are  to  lay  out  our  all.  A  farthing  less  would  make 
an  enlightened  and  considerate  Christian  suspicious  of 
his  incurring  the  danger  of  sacrilege.  By  the  pious 
uses  for  which  your  tenths  are  thus  challenged^  I  do 


OS  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

not  intend  only,  the  maintenance  of  the  evangelical 
ministry,  but  also  the  relief  of  the  miserable,  whom 
our  merciful  Savior  has  mad^the  receivers  of  his  rents; 
together  with  all  that  is  to  be  more  directly  done  for 
the  preserving  and  promoting  of  piety  in  the  world. 
Since  there  is  a  part  of  every  man's  revenues  due  to 
the  glorious  Lord,  and  to  purposes  of  piety,  it  is  not 
fit  that  the  determination  of  what  part  it  must  be, 
should  be  left  to  such  hearts  as  ours.  My  friend,  thou 
hast,  it  may  be,  too  high  an  opinion  of  thy  own  wis- 
dom and  goodness,  if  nothing  but  thy  own  carnal  heart 
is  to  determine  what  proportion  of  thy  revenues  are  to 
be  laid  out  for  Him,  whom  thou  art  so  ready  to  forget 
when  he  has  filled  thee.  But  if  the  Lord  himself,  to 
whom  thou  art  but  a  steward,  has  fixed  on  any  part  of 
our  usual  income  for  himself,  as  it  is  most  reasonable 
that  he  should  have  the  fixing  of  it,  certainly  a  tenth 
will  be  found  the  least  that  he  has  called  for.  Long  be- 
fore the  Mosaic  dispensation  of  the  law,  we  find  that 
this  was  Jacob's  vow :  "  Tlie  Lord  shall  be  my  God, 
and  of  all  that  thou  shalt  give  me,  I  will  surely  give  the 
tenth  unto  thee."  It  seems  we  do  not  sufficiently  de- 
clare that  "  the  Lord  is  our  God,"  if  we  do  not  give  a 
tenth  to  him.  And  how  can  we  approve  ourselves 
"  Israelites  indeed,"  if  we  sljght  such  an  example  as 
that  of  our  father  Jacob?  I  will  ascend  a  little  higher. 
In  one  text  we  read  that  our  father  Abraham  "  gave 
Melchisedek  the  tenth  of  all."  In  another  text  we  read 
of  our  Savior  Jesus,  "  Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever,  after 
the  order  of  Melchisedek."  From  hence  I  form  this 
conclusion:  the  rights  of  Melchisedek  belong  to  our 
Jesus,  the  royal  high  priest  now  officiating  for  us  in 
the  heavens.  The  tenths  were  the  rights  of  Melchise- 
dek ;  therefore  the  tenths  belong  to  our  Jesus.    I  do  in 


TO    RICH    MEN'.  89 

my  conscience  believe  that  this  argument  cannot  be 
answered;  and  the  man  who  attempts  it,  seems  to 
darken  the  evidence  of  Wis  being  one  of  the  true  chil- 
dren of  Abraham. 

It  is  very  certain  that  the  pagans  nsed  to  decimate 
for  sacred  uses.  Pliny  tells  us  that  the  Arabians  did 
so.  Xenophon  informs  us  that  the  Grecians  had  the 
same  practice.  You  find  the  custom  to  be^s  ancient 
as  the  pen  of  Herodotus  can  m.ake  it.  Festus  says, 
"  The  ancients  offered  to  their  gods  the  tenth  of  every 
thing."  Christian,  wilt  thou  do  less  for  thy  God  than 
the  poor  perishing  pagans  did  for  theirs  ?  "  O  tell  it 
not" — but  this  I  will  tell;  that  they  who  have  con- 
scientiously employed  their  tenths  in  pious  uses,  have 
usually  been  remarkably  blessed  in  their  estates,  by 
the  providence  of  God.  The  blessing  has  been  some- 
times delayed,  with  some  trial  of  their  patience ;  and 
their  belief  of  the  future  statq.has  been  sometimes  tried, 
by  their  meeting  with  losses  and  disappointments. 
But  then,  their  little  has  been  so  blessed  as  to  be  still  a 
competency;  and  God  has  so  favored  them  with  con- 
tentment, that  it  has  yielded  more  than  the  abundance 
of  many  others.  Very  frequently  too,  they  have  been 
rewarded  with  remarkable  success  in  their  aifairs,  and 
increase  of  their  property ;  and  even  in  this  world  have 
seen  the  fulfillment  of  ihose  promises :  "  Cast  thy  bread 
upon  the  waters"— thy  grain  into  the  moist  ground — 
"  and  thou  shalt  find  it  after  many  days."  "  Honor 
the  Lord  with  thy  substance ;  so  shall  thy  barns  be 
filled  with  plenty."  History  has  given  us  many  de- 
lightful examples  of  those  who  have  had  their  decima- 
tions followed  and  rewarded  by  a  surprising  prosperity 
of  their  affairs.  Obscure  mechanics  and  husbandmen 
have  risen  to  estates,  of  which  once  they  had  not  the 


90  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

most  distant  expectation.  The  excellent  Gouge,  in  his 
treatise,  entitled,  "  The  surest  and  safest  way  of  thriv- 
ing," has  collected  some  sucl>  examples.  The  Jewish 
proverb,  "  Tithe,  and  be  rich,"  would  be  oftener  veri- 
fied, if  more  frequently  practised.  "  Prove  me  now 
herewith,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  if  I  will  not  pour  out 
a  blessing  upon  you." 

But  let  the  demand  of  "liberal  things"  grow  upon 
you:  a  tenth  I  have  called  the  least;  for  some  it  is 
much  too  little.  Men  of  large  incomes,  who  would  not 
"  sow  to  their  flesh,  and  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption," 
may  and  will  often  go  beyond  this  proportion.  Some 
rise  to  ^  fifth;  and  the  religious  countess  of  Warwick 
would  not  stop  at  any  thing  short  of  a  thwd.  Gentle- 
men of  fortune,  who  are  my  readers,  would  perhaps 
excuse  me  if  I  were  to  carry  them  no  higher  than  this, 
and  to  say  nothing  to  them  of  a  Johannes  Eleemosy- 
narius,  who  annually  made  a  distribution  oiall  to  pious 
uses ;  and  having  settled  his  afftiirs,  said,  "  I  bless  God 
that  I  have  now  nothing  left  but  m.y  Lord  and  Master, 
Christ,  whom  I  long  to  be  with,  and  to  whom  I  can 
now  fly  with  unentangled  wings."  Yet  I  will  mention 
to  them  the  example  of  some  eminent  merchants,  who 
having  obtained  moderate  and  competent  estates,  have 
resolved  never  to  be  richer.  They  have  carried  on 
brisk  and  extensive  trades,  but  whatever  profits  raised 
their  incomes  above  the  fixed  sum,  they  have  entirely 
devoted  to  pious  uses.  Were  any  of  them  losers  by 
this  conduct?    Not  one. 

The  Christian  emperor  Tiberius  II.  was  famous  for 
his  religious  bounties :  his  empress  thought  him  even 
profuse  in  them.  But  he  told  her  that  he  should  never 
want  money  so  long  as,  in  obedience  to  a  glorious 
Christ,  he  should  supply  the  necessities  of  the  poor, 


TO   RICH   MEN. 


91 


and  abound  in  religious  benevolence.  Once,  imme- 
diately after  he  had  made  a  liberal  distribution,  he  un- 
expectedly found  a  mighty  treasure,  and  at  the  same 
time  tidings  were  brought  to  him  of  the  death  of  a  very 
rich  man  who  had  i^equeathed  to  him  all  his  wealth. 
And  men  in  far  humbler  stations  can  relate  very  many 
and  interesting  anecdotes  of  this  nature,  even  from 
their  own  happy  experience.  I  cannot  forbear  tran- 
scribing some  lines  of  my  honored  Gouge  on  this  oc- 
casion : 

"  I  am  verily  persuaded  that  there  is  scarcely  any 
man  who  gives  to  the  poor  proportionably  to  what 
God  has  bestowed  on  him,  but,  if  he  observe  the  deal- 
ings of  God's  providence  toward  him,  will  find  the 
same  doubled  and  redoubled  upon  him  in  temporal 
blessings.  I  dare  challenge  all  the  world  to  produce 
one  instance  (or  at  least  any  considerable  number  of 
instances)  of  a  merciful  man,  whose  charity  has  un- 
done him.  On  the  contrary,  as  the  more  living  wells 
are  exhausted,  the  more  freely  they  spring  and  flow; 
so  the  substance  of  charitable  men  frequently  multi- 
plies in  the  very  distribution:  even  as  the  five  loaves 
and  few  fishes  multiplied  while  being  broken  and  dis- 
tributed, and  as  the  widow's  oil  increased  by  being 
poured  out." 

I  will  add  a  consideration  which,  methinks,  will  act 
as  a  powerful  motive  upon  the  common  feelings  of 
human  nature.  Let  the  rich  men,  who  are  not  "  rich 
toward  God,"  especially  such  as  have  no  children  of 
their  own  to  make  their  heirs,  consider  the  vile  ingra- 
titude with  which  their  successors  will  treat  them; 
sirs,  they  will  hardly  allow  you  a  tombstone :  but,  wal- 
lowing in  the  wealth  you  have  left  them,  and  com- 
plaining that  you  left  it  no  sooner,  they  will  insult 


92  ESSAYS    TO    DO    GOOD. 

your  memory,  and  ridicule  your  economy  and  parsi- 
mony. How  much  wiser  would  it  be  for  you  to  do 
good  with  your  estates  while  you  live,  and  at  your 
death  to  dispose  of  them  in  such  a  manner  as  shall 
embalm  your  names  to  posterity,  and  that  you  may, 
through  grace,  hear  God  say,  "  Thou  hast  been  faith- 
ful over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many 
things ;  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 

I  will  only  annex  the  compliment  of  a  certain  per- 
son to  his  friend,  upon  his  accession  to  an  estate: 
"  Much  good  may  it  do  you ;  that  is,  much  good  may 
you  do  with  it." 

To  relieve  the  necessities  of  the  poor  is  a  thing  ac- 
ceptable to  the  compassionate  God,  who  has  given  to 
you  what  he  might  have  given  to  them,  and  has  given 
it  to  you  that  you  might  have  the  honor  and  pleasure 
of  imparting  it  to  them ;  and  who  has  said,  "  He  that 
hath  pity  upon  the  poor,  lendeth  unto  the  Lord."  The 
more  you  regard  the  command  and  example  of  a  glo- 
rious Christ  in  what  you  do  this  way,  the  more  assur- 
ance you  have  that  in  the  day  of  God  you  shall  joy- 
fully hear  him  saying,  "  You  have  done  it  unto  me." 
And  the  more  humble,  silent,  reserved  modesty  you 
express,  concealing  even  from  the  left  hand  what  is 
done  with  the  right,  the  more  you  are  assured  of  a 
great  reward  in  the  heavenly  world.  Such  liberal  men, 
it  is  observed,  are  generally  long-lived  men ;  ("  gather- 
ing the  fruit  relieves  the  tree;")  and  at  last  they  pass 
from  this  into  everlasting  life. 

PROPOSALS    TO    LADIES. 

The  true  Lady  is  one  who  feeds  the  poor^  and  re- 
lieves their  indigence.*  In  the  days  of  primitive  Chris- 

*The  following  is  supposed  to  be  the  etymology  of  the  word 


TO   LADIES.  83 

tianity,  ladies  of  Ihe^first  quality  would  seek  out  the 
sick,  visit  hospitals,  see  what  help  they  wanted,  and 
assist  them  with  an  admirable  alacrit5\  What  a  "  good 
report"  have  the  mother  and  sister  of  Nazianzen  ob- 
tained from  his  pen,  for  their  unwearied  bounty  to  the 
poor  I  Empresses  themselves  have  stooped  to  relieve 
the  miserable,  and  never  appeared  so  truly  great  as 
when  they  thus  stooped. 

A  very  proper  season  for  your  alms  is,  when  you 
keep  days  of  prayer ;  that  your  prayers  and  your  alms 
may  go  up  together  as  a  memorial  before  the  Lord. 
Verily,  there  are  prayers  in  alms:  and,  "  Is  not  this 
the  fast  that  I  have  chosen?  saith  the  Lord."  The  ex- 
pression of  the  beggar  among  the  Jews  was,  "  Deserve 
something  by  me :"  among  us  it  might  be,  "  Obtain 
something  by  me." 

MISCELLANEOUS    PROPOSALS   TO    GENTLEMEN. 

There  is  a  certain  city  in  which,  it  is  said,  every 
house  has  a  box  hanging  by  a  chain,  on  which  is  writ- 
ten, "  Remember  the  poor ;"  and  the  people  seldom 
conclude  a  bargain  without  putting  something  into  the 
box.  The  deacons  have  the  key,  and  once  a  quarter 
go  round  the  city  and  take  out  the  money.  When  that 
city  was  in  imminent  danger,  a  man  of  moderate  cha-  " 
racter  was  heard  to  say,  "  that  he  was  of  opinion  God 

Lady.  It  vras  at  first  Leafdian,  from  Leaf  or  Laf.  which  signi- 
fies a  loaf  of  bread,  and  D'ian  to  serve.  It  was  afterward  cor- 
rupted to  Lafdt/,  and  at  length  to  Lady.  So  that  it  appears, 
the  original  meaning  of  the  term  implies  owe  u-lw  disiribvtea 
bread. 


94  ES3AY3    TO    DO    GOOD. 

would  preserve  that  city  from  being  destroyed,  if  it 
were  only  for  the  great  charity  which  its  inhabitants 
express  to  the  poor."  It  is  the  richest  city  of  the  richest 
country,  for  its  size,  that  ever  existed ;  a  city  which  is 
thought  to  spend,  annually,  in  charitable  uses,  more 
than  all  the  revenues  which  the  fine  country  of  the 
grand  duke  of  Tuscany  brings  in  to  its  arbitrary  mas- 
ter. "The  hands  of  the  poor  are  the  treasury-box  of 
Christ." 

When  you  dispense  your  alms  to  the  poor,  who  knov/ 
what  it  is  to  pray,  you  may  oblige  them  to  pray  for  you, 
by  name,  every  day.  It  is  an  excellent  thing  to  have 
the  blessing  of  those  who  have  been  ready  to  perish 
thus  coming  upon  you.  Observe  here  a  surprising 
sense  in  which  you  may  be  "praying  always."  You 
are  so,  even  while  you  are  sleeping,  if  those  whom  you 
have  thus  obliged  are  praying  for  you.  And  now  look 
for  the  accomplishment  of  that  word :  "  Blessed  is  he 
that  considereth  the  poor  ;  the  Lord  will  preserve  him 
and  keep  him  alive,  and  he  shall  be  blessed  upon  the 
earth." 

Very  frequently  your  alms  are  dispersed  among  such 
persons  as  very  much  need  admonitions  of  piety.  Can- 
not you  contrive  to  mingle  a  spiritual  charity  with 
your  temporal  bounty?  Perhaps  you  may  discourse 
with  them  about  the  state  of  their  souls,  and  may  ob- 
tain from  them  (for  which  you  have  now  a  singular 
advantage)  some  declared  resolutions  to  do  what  they 
ought  to  do.  Or  else  you  may  convey  to  them  books, 
or  tracts,  which  they  will  certainly  promise  to  read, 
when  you  thus  desire  them. 

Charity  to  the  souls  of  men  is  undoubtedly  the  high- 
est, the  noblest,  and  the  most  important  charity.  To 
furnish  the  poor  with  catechisms  and  Bibles,  is  to  do 


TO    GENTLEMEN. 


95 


for  tlieni  an  incalculable  service.  No  one  knou'^  how 
much  he  may  do  by  dispersing  books  of  piety,  and  by 
putting  into  the  hands  of  mankind  such  treatises  of 
divinity  as  may  have  a  tendency  to  make  them  wiser 
or  better.  It  was  a  noble  action  of  some  good  men, 
who,  a  little  while  ago,  were  at  the  charge  of  printing 
thirty  thousand  of  the  "  Alarm  to  the  Unconverted," 
written  by  Joseph  Allein,  to  be  given  away  to  such  as 
would  promise  to  read  it.  A  man  of  no  great  fortune 
has  been  known  to  give  away,  M'ithout  much  trouble, 
nearly  a  thousand  books  of  piety  every  year,  for  many 
years  together.  Who  can  tell,  but  with  the  expense  of 
a  shilling,  or  even  of  a  penny,  you  may  "convert  a 
sinner  from  the  error  of  his  ways,  and  save  a  soul  from 
death  ?"  A  worse  doom  than  to  be' "  condemned  to  the 
mines  "  rests  upon  that  soul  who  had  rather  hoard  up 
Ills  money  than  employ  it  on  such  a  charity. 

He  who  supports  the  office  of  the  evangelical  minis- 
try, supports  a  good  work,  and  performs  one ;  yea,  in  a 
secondary  way,  performs  what  is  done  by  the  skilful, 
faithful,  and  laborious  minister.  The  servant  of  the 
Lord,  who  is  encouraged  by  you,  will  do  the  more 
good  for  your  assistance  ;  and  what  you  have  done  for 
him,  and  in  consideration  of  the  glorious  Gospel 
preached  by  him,  you  have  done  for  a  glorious  Christ ; 
and  you  shall  "  receive  a  prophet's  reward."  Luther 
said  :  "  What  you  give  to  scholars,  you  give  to  God 
himself."  This  is  still  more  true,  when  the  scholars 
are  become  godly  and  useful  preachers. 

I  have  somewhere  met  v/ith  the  following  passage : 
"  It  was  for  several  years  the  practice  of  a  worthy  gen- 
tleman, in  renewing  his  leases,  instead  of  making  it  a 
condition  that  his  tenants  should  keep  a  hawk  or  a  dog 
for  him,  to  req.uest  them  to  keep  a  Bible  in  their  houses, 


96  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

and  to  bring  up  tlieir  children  to  read  and  to  be  cate- 
chised." Landlords,  it  is  worth  your  consideration 
whether  you  may  not  in  your  leases  insert  some  clauses 
that  may  serve  the  kingdom  of  God.  You  are  his 
tenants  in  those  very  freeholds  in  which  you  are  land- 
lords to  other  men.  Desire  your  tenants  to  worship 
God  in  their  families. 

To  take  a  poor  child,  especially  an  orphan  left  in 
poverty,  and  to  bestow  upon  him  a  liberal  education, 
is  an  admirable  charity;  yea,  it  may  draw  after  it  a  long 
train  of  good,  and  may  interest  you  in  all  the  good  that 
shall  be  done  by  him  whom  you  have  educated. 

Hence,  ulso,  what  is  done  for  schools,  for  colleges, 
and  for  hospitals,  is  done  for  the  general  good.  The 
endowment  or  maintenance  of  these  is  at  once  to  do 
good  to  many.     ' 

But,  alas !  how  much  of  the  silver  and  gold  of  the 
world  is  buried  in  hands,  where  it  is  little  better  than 
conveyed  back  to  the  mines  from  whence  it  came! 

Sometimes  elaborate  compositions  may  be  prepared 
for  the  press,  work^  of  great  bulk,  and  of  still  greater 
worth,  by  which  the  best  interests  of  knowledge  and 
virtue  may  be  promoted ;  but  they  lie,  like  the  impo- 
tent man  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda,  in  silent  neglect; 
and  are  likely  to  continue  in  that  state,  till  God  inspire 
some  wealthy  persons  nobly  to  subscribe  to  their  pub- 
lication, and  by  this  generous  application  of  their  pro- 
perty, to  bring  them  abroad.  The  names  of  such  no- 
ble benefactors  to  mankind  ought  to  live  as  long  as  the 
works  themselves ;  and  v/here  the  works  do  any  good, 
what  these  have  done  toward  the  publishing  of  them, 
ought  to  be  '"told  for  a  memorial"  of  them. 

I  will  pursue  this  subject  still  farther.  It  was  said 
by  Dr.  Sanderson,  that  "  idle  gentlemen,  and  idle  beg- 


TO  GENTLEMEN.  97 

gars,  are  the  pests  of  the  commonwealth."  Will  3^ou 
then  think  of  some  honorable  and  agreeable  employ- 
ments? I  will  mention  one — the  Pythagoreans  forbade 
men's  "eating  their  own  brains,"  or  "keeping  their 
good  thoughts  to  themselves."  The  incomparable 
Boyle  observes,  that  "as  to  religious  books,  in  general, 
those  which  have  been  written  by  laymen,  have  (other 
things  being  equal)  been  better  received,  and  more 
effectual,  than  those  published  by  clergymen."  Mr. 
Boyle's  were  certainly  so.  Men  of  quality  have  fre- 
quently attained  such  accomplishments  in  languages 
and  science,  that  they  have  become  prodigies  of  litera- 
ture. Their  libraries  also  have  been  stupendous  col- 
lections, approaching  toward  Vatican  or  Bodleian  di- 
mensions. How  many  of  these  have  been  benefactors 
to  mankind  by  their  admirable  writings!  It  were  much 
to  be  wished  that  persons  of  wealth  and  elevation 
would  qualify  themselves  for  the  use  of  the  pen  as  well 
as  of  the  sword,  and  deserve  this  eulogium — "Thev 
have  written  excellent  things."  An  English  person  of 
quality,  in  his  treatise  entitled,  "A  View  of  the  Soul," 
has  the  following  passage :  "It  is  certainly  the  highest 
dignity,  if  not  the  greatest  happiness,  of  which  human 
nature  is  capable  in  the  vale  below,  to  have  the  soul  so 
far  enlightened,  as  to  become  the  mirror,  or  conduit,  or 
conveyor  of  God's  truth  to  others."  It  is  a  bad  motto 
for  a  man  of  capacity,  "xMy  understanding  is  unfruit- 
ful." Gentlemen,  consider  what  subjects  may  most 
properly  and  usefully  fall  under  your  cultivation.  Your 
pens  v/ill  stab  atheism  and  vice  more  effectually  than 
other  men's.  If  there  be  amoi!g  you  "those  who  han- 
dle the  pen  of  the  writer,"  they  will  do  uncommon 
execution.  One  of  them  has  ingeniously  said,  "  Though 
I  know  some  offices,  yet  I  know  no  truths  of  religion 
9 


98  ESSAYS   TO   DO   GOOD. 

which,  like  the  shew-bread,  are  only  for  the  priests." 
I  will  present  to  you  but  one  proposal  more,  and  it  is 
this — that  you  would  wisely  choose  a  friend  of  good 
abilities,  of  warm  affections,  and  of  excellent  piety,  (a 
minister  of  such  a  character,  if  you  can,)  and  entreat 
him,  yea,  oblige  him  to  study  for  you,  and  to  suggest  to 
you  opportunities  to  do  good.  Let  him  advise  you, 
from  time  to  time,  what  good  you  may  do.  Let  him 
see  that  he  never  gratifies  you  more  than  by  his  advice 
on  this  head.  If  a  David  have  a  seer  to  perform  such 
an  office  for  him,  one  who  may  search  for  occasions  of 
doing  good,  what  extensive  services  may  be  done  for 
the  temple  of  God  in  the  world ! 

Let  me  only  add,  that  when  gentlemen  occasionally 
meet  together,  why  should  not  their  conversation  cor- 
respond with  their  superior  station?  They  should  deem 
it  beneath  them  to  employ  the  conversation  on  trifling 
subjects,  or  in  such  a  way  that,  if  it  were  secretly  ta- 
ken in  short  hand,  they  v*^ould  blush  to  hear  it  repeated. 
Sirs,  it  becomes  a  gentleman  to  entertain  his  company 
with  the  finest  thoughts  on  the  finest  themes;  and  cer- 
tainly there  cannot  be  a  subject  so  worthy  of  a  gentle- 
man as  this:  What  good  is  there  to  be  done  in  the 
world  ?  Were  this  noble  subject  more  frequently  start- 
ed in  the  conversation  of  gentlemen,  incredible  good 
might  be  achieved. 

J  will  conclude  by  saying,  you  must  accept  of  any 
public  service  of  which  you  are  capable,  when  you  are 
called  to  it.  Honest  Jeans  has  this  pungent  passage  : 
"The  world  applauds  the  prudent  retirement  of  those 
who  bury  their  parts  and  gifts  in  an  obscure  privacy, 
though  they  have  a  fair  call,  both  from  God  and  man, 
to  Fublic  ensagements:  but  the  terrible  censure  of 


TO   LAWYERS.  99 

these  men  by  Jesus  Christ  at  the  last  day,  will  prove 
them  to  have  been  the  most  arrant  fools  that  ever  lived 
on  the  face  of  the  earth."  The  fault  of  not  employ- 
in»^  our  talent  for  the  public  good,  is  justly  styled  "A 
great  sacrilege  in  the  temple  of  the  God  of  nature." 
It  was  a  sad  age  of  which  Tacitus  said,  "Indolent  re- 
tirement was  wisdom." 

PROPOSALS    TO    LAWYERS. 

Your  opportunities  to  do  good  are  such,  that  propo- 
sals of  what  you  are  able  to  do,  may  be  expected  to 
have  wath  you  an  obliging  reception. 

But  although  the  profession  in  general  must  not  be 
blamed  for  the  faults  of  a  few,  yet  many  will  allow  the 
justness  of  the  following  remark,  which  occurs  in  a 
late  publication :  "  A  lawyer  who  is  a  knave,  deserves 
death  more  than  the  man  that  robs  on  the  highway; 
for  he  profanes  the  sanctuary  of  the  distressed,  and  be- 
ti'ays  the  liberties  of  the  people."  To  avoid  such  a 
censure,  a  lawyer  must  shun  all  those  indirect  ways 
of  "  making  haste  to  be  rich,"  in  which  a  man  cannot 
be  innocent :  such  ways  as  provoked  the  father  of  Sir 
Matthew  Hale  to  abandon  the  practice  of  the  law,  on 
account  of  the  extreme  difficulty  of  preserving  a  good 
conscience  in  it.  Sir,  be  prevailed  upon  constantly  to 
keep  a  court  of  chancery  in  your  own  breast ;  and  scorn 
and  fear  to  do  any  thing  but  that  which  your  con- 
science will  pronounce  consistent  with,  and  conducing 
to  "  glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  peace  on  earth,  and 
good-will  toward  men."  The  very  nature  of  your 
profession  leads  you  to  meditate  on  "a judgment  to 
come."  O  that  you  would  so  realize  and  antedate  that 
judgment,  as  to  do  nothing  but  what  you  verily  believe 
will  be  approved  in  it ! 


100  ESSAYS   TO   BO   GOOD. 

This  piety  must  operate,  very  particularly,  in  the 
pleading  of  causes.  You  will  abhor,  sir,  to  appear  in  an 
iniquitous  cause.  If  you  discover  that  your  client  has 
an  unjust  cause,  you  will  faithfully  advise  him  of  it. 
The  question  is,  "  Whether  it  be  lawful  to  use  false- 
hood and  deceit  in  contending  with  an  adversary  ?"  It 
is  to  be  hoped  that  you  have  determined  this  question 
like  an  honest  man.  You  will  be  sincerely  desirous 
that  truth  and  justice  should  take  place.  You  will 
speak  nothing  which  shall  be  to  the^ prejudice  of  either. 
You  will  detest  the  use  of  all  unfair  arts  to  confound 
evidences,  to  brow-beat  witnesses,  or  to  suppress  what 
may  give  liglit  in  the  case.  You  have  nothing  to  ob- 
ject to  that  old  rule  of  pleading  a  cause  :  "  When  the 
guilt  of  the  party  is  clearly  proved,  the  counsel  ought 
to  withdraw  his  support."  It  is  related  of  Schusterus,  a 
famous  lawyer  and  counsellor,  who  died  at  Heidelberg 
in  the  year  1672,  that  "  when  at  the  point  of  death,  he 
could  say,  '  I  never,  in  the  whole  course  of  my  practice^ 
gave  an  opinion  of  which  I  now  repent.'  "  A  lawyer, 
who  can  leave  the  world  with  such  language  as  this, 
proves  a  greater  blessing  to  the  world  than  can  be  ex- 
pressed. 

It  is  an  old  complaint,  "  that  a  good  lawyer  is  seldom 
a  good  neighbor."  You  know  how  to  confute  it,  gen- 
tlemen, by  making  your  skill  in  the  law  a  blessing  to 
the  neighborhood.  It  was  affirmed  as  long  ago  as  in 
the  time  of  Sallust,  "Towns  were  happy  formerly, 
when  there  were  no  lawyers  ;  and  they  will  be  so  again, 
when  the  race  is  extinct;"  but  you  may,  if  you  please, 
be  a  vast  accession  to  the  happiness  of  the  places  where 
you  reside. 

In  the  life  of  Mr.  John  Cotton,  the  author  relates  the 
following  concerning  his  father,  who  was  a  lawyer : 


TO   LAWYERS.  .101 

"  That  worthy  man  was  very  remarkable  in  two  most 
admirable  practices.  One  was,  that  when  any  one  of 
his  neighbors,  wishing  to  sue  another,  applied  to  him  for 
advice,  it  was  his  custom,  in  the  most  persuasive  and 
affectionate  manner  imaginable,  to  attempt  a  reconci- 
liation between  both  parties  j  preferring  the  consola- 
tion of  being  a  peace-maker,  to  all  the  fees  which  he 
might  have  obtained  by  blowing  up  the  differences. 
Another  was,  he  was  accustomed,  every  night,  to  ex- 
amine himself,  with  reflections  on  the  transactions  of 
the  past  day  ;  and  if  he  found  that  he  had  neither  done 
good  to  others,  nor  got  good  to  his  own  soul,  he  was 
as  much  grieved  as  Titus  was  when  he  complained  in 
the  evening,  "  My  friends,  I  have  lost  a  day  !" 

What  a  noble  thing  would  it  be  for  you  to  find  out 
oppressed  widows  and  orphans,  and,  as  such  are  ob- 
jects in  whose  oppression  "  might  overcomes  right," 
generously  plead  their  cause  !  "  Deliver  the  poor  and 
needy,  and  rid  them  out  of  the  hand  of  the  wicked." 
It  will  be  a  glorious  and  a  godlike  action. 

Affluent  persons,  about  to  make  their  wills,  may  fre- 
quently ask  your  advice.  You  may  embrace  the  op- 
portunity of  advising  them  to  such  liberality  in  behalf 
of  pious  purposes,  as  m.ay  greatly  advance  the  king- 
dom of  God  in  the  world  ;  and  when  you  have  op- 
portunity, by  law,  to  rescue  "  the  things  that  are  God's  " 
from  the  sacrilegious  hands  that  would  "rob  God,"  it 
may  be  hoped  that  you  will  do  it  with  all  possible  gene- 
rosity and  alacrity.  O  excellent  imitation  of  our  glori- 
ous Advocate  in  the  heavens  ! 

Your  learning  often  qualifies  you  to  "  write  excel- 
lent things,"  not  only  in  your  own  profession,  but  also 
on  many  other  entertaining  and  edifying  themes.  The 
books  which  have  been  written  by  learned  lawyers 
9* 


102  ESSAYS   TO    DO   GOOD. 

would,  in  number,  almost  equal  an  Alexandrian  libra- 
ry. What  valuable  works  have  been  produced  by  a 
Groiius,  a  Hale,  a  Selden  !  Gentlemen,  you  may  plead 
the  cause  of  religion,  and  of  the  reformation,  by  your 
well  directed  pens  ;  and  perform  innumerable  services 
to  the  public.  There  is  one  at  this  day,  who,  in  his 
"  History  of  the  Apostles'  Creed,"  has  obhged  us  to  say, 
"  he  has  offered  like  a  king  to  the  temple  of  the  King 
of  heaven."     May  the  Lord  his  God  accept  him  ! 

Should  you  be  called,  sir,  to  the  administration  of 
justice,  in  the  quality  of  a  judge,  you  will  prescribe  to 
yourself  rules  like  those  which  the  renowned  Lord 
Chief  Justice  Hale  so  rehgiously  observed  as  to  become 
a  bright  example  for  all  who  occupy  the  seat  of  judica- 
ture.    The  sum  of  those  rules  is  as  follows  : 

"  That  justice  be  administered  uprightly,  deliberate- 
ly, resolutely. 

"  That  I  rest  not  on  my  own  understanding,  but  im- 
plore the  direction  of  God. 

"That  in  the  execution  of  justice,  I  carefully  lay 
aside  my  own  passions,  and  not  give  way  to  them, 
however  provoked. 

"That  I  be  wholly  intent  on  the  business  I  am 
about. 

"That  I  suffer  not  myself  to  be  prepossessed  with 
any  judgment  at  all,  till  all  the  business,  and  both  par- 
ties are  heard." 

In  the  pursuance  of  such  methods  to  do  good,  to 
serve  the  cause  of  righteousness,  and  introduce  the 
promised  age,  in  which  "  the  people  shall  all  be  righte- 
ous," the  least  of  those  glorious  recompenses  you  may 
expect,  will  be  the  establishment  of  your  profession  in 
such  a  reputation,  that  the  moist  prejudiced  person  in 
the  world,  when  seeking  to  find  blemishes  in  it,  will  be 
obliged  to  bring  in  an  ignoramvs. 


103 
CONCZiUSZOXT. 

While  pursuing  such  a  course  of  actions  as  has  been 
described  above;  actions,  which  are  far  more  glorious 
than  all  the  achievements  of  which  those  bloody  plun- 
derers, whom  we  call  conquerors,  have  made  a  wretch- 
ed ostentation ;  still  humility  must  crown  the  whole. 
Without  this  they  are  all  nothing ;  nothing,  without  a 
sense  that  you  are  nothing,  and  a  willingness  to  be  so 
esteemed.  You  must  first  most  humbly  acknowledge 
to  the  great  God,  "that  after  you  have  done  all,  you 
are  unprofitable  servants ;"  that  you  have  done  only 
that  "  which  was  your  duty  to  do,"  and  also,  that  "  you 
have  fallen  exceeding  short  of  your  duty."  If  God 
should  abase  you  with  very  dark  dispensations  of  his 
providence,  after  all  your  indefatigable  and  disinterest- 
ed "  essays  "  to  glorify  him,  humble  yourselves  before 
him  ;  yet  abate  nothing  of  your  exertions.  Persevere, 
saying.  My  God  will  humble  me,  yet  will  I  glorify  him. 
Lord,  thou  art  righteous.  Still  will  I  do  all  I^can  to 
promote  thy  glorious  kingdom.  This  act  of  humilia- 
tion is  indeed  comparatively  easy.  There  is  one  to  be 
demanded  of  you  of  much  greater  difficulty ;  that  is, 
that  you  humbly  submit  to  all  the  discredit  which  God 
may  appoint  for  you  among  men. 

I  happened  once  to  be  present  in  the  room  where  a 
dying  man  could  not  leave  the  world  until  he  had  la- 
mented to  a  minister,  whom  he  had  sent  for  on  this 
account,  the  unjust  calumnies  and  injuries  which  he 
had  often  cast  upon  him.  The  minister  asked  the  poor 
penitent  what  was  the  occasion  of  his  abusive  conduct, 
whether  he  had  been  imposed  upon  by  any  false  re- 
ports.   The  man  made  this  horrible  answer :  "  No,  sir, 


104  CONCLUSION. 

it  was  merely  this ;  I  thought  you  were  a  good  man, 
and  that  you  did  much  good  in  the  world,  and  there- 
fore I  haled  you.  Is  it  possible,  is  it  possible,"  said 
the  poor  sinner,  "  for  such  a  wretch  to  find  pardon?" 
Truly,  though  other  causes  may  be  assigned  for  the 
spite  and  rage  of  wicked  men  against  a  person  of  ac- 
tive benevolence,  yet  I  shall  not  be  deceived  if  I  fear 
that  a  secret  antipathy  to  the  kingdom  of  God  lies  at 
the  bottom  of  it.  Or,  in  proud  men,  it  may  frequently 
be  pale  envy,  enraged  that  other  men  are  more  useful 
in  the  world  than  they,  and  vexing  themselves  with 
more  than  Sicilian  torments,  at  the  sight  of  what  God 
and  man  unite  to  perform. 

But  "think  not  strange  of  the  trial,"  if  men  "  speak 
evil  of  you."  God  may  wisely  and  in  much  faithful- 
ness permit  these  things,  "  to  hide  pride  from  you." 
"  O  how  much  of  that  deadly  poison,  pride,  still  remains 
within  us;  for  which  nothing  short  of  poison  is  an 
antidote!"  Alas!  while  we  still  carry  about  us  the 
grave-clothes  of  pride,  these  rough  hands  are  the  best 
that  can  be  employed  to  pull  them  off.  If  you  should 
meet  with  such  things,  you  must  bear  them  with  much 
meekness,  much  silence,  great  .self-abasement,  and  a 
disposition  to  forgive  the  worst  of  all  your  persecutors, 
"Being  defamed,  you  must  entreat."  Be  well  pleased 
if  you  can  redeem  any  opportunities  to  do  good.  Be 
ready  to  do  good  even  to  those  from  whom  you  suffer 
evil.  In  short,  be  insensible  of  any  merit  in  your  per- 
formances. Lie  in  the  dust,  and  be  willing  that  both 
God  and  man  should  lay  you  there.  Endeavor  to  re- 
concile your  mind  to  indignities.  Entertain  them  with 
all  the  calmness  and  temper  imaginable.  Be  content 
that  three  hundredin  Sparta  should  be  preferred  before 
you.     When  envious  men  can  fix  upon  you  no  other 


CONCLUSION. 


105 


blemish,  they  will  5ay  of  you,  as  they  said  of  Cyprian, 
that  you  are  a  proud  man,  because  you  do  not  jog  on 
in  their  heavy  road  of  sloth  fulness.  Bear  this  also,  with 
a  still  more  profound  humility.  It  is  the  last  effort 
usually  made  by  the  dying  "  pride  of  life,"  to  bear  the 
charge  of  pride  with  patience. 

Ye  useful  men,  your  acceptance  with  your  Savior, 
and  with  God  through  him,  and  your  recompense  in 
the  world  to  come,  are  to  carry  you  cheerfully  through 
all  your  "essays"  at  usefulness.  To  be  "  reprobr.te 
for  every  good  work,"  is  a  character  from  which  it  will 
be  the  wisdom  of  all  men  to  fly,  with  the  greatest  dread 
imaginable.  And  to  be  "  always  abounding  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord,"  is  the  truest  and  highest  wisdom-.  It  is 
the  "  wisdom  which  is  from  above,  full  of  mercy  and 
good  fruits."  The  sluggards  who  do  no  good  in  the 
world,  are  "  wise  in  their  own  conceit ;"  but  the  men 
who  are  diligent  in  doing  good,  can  give  such  a  reason 
for  what  they  do,  as  proves  them  to  be  really  wise. 
Men  "leave  off  to  be  wise,"  when  they  leave  off  to  "  do 
good."  The  wisdom  of  it  appears  in  this  :  it  is  the  best 
way  of  spending  our  time  ;  that  time  is  well  spent 
which  is  employed  in  doing  good.  It  is  also  a  sure 
and  pleasant  way  effectually  to  bespeak  the  blessings 
of  God  on  ourselves.  Who  so  likely  to  find  bless- 
ings as  the  men  that  are  blessings?  It  has  been  said, 
"  He  who*lives  well,  always  prays."  And  I  will  add, 
"  He  who  acts  well,  prays  well."  Every  action  we 
perform  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  is,  in  effect,  a  prayer 
for  the  blessing  of  God.  While  we  are  at  work  for 
God,  certainly  he  will  be  at  work  for  us  and  ours.  He 
will  do  for  us  far  more  than  we  have  done  for  him — 
"  more  than  we  can  ask  or  think."  There  is  a  voice  in 
every  good  action  ;  it  is  this :  "  O  do  good  unto  those 


106  CONCLUSION. 

that  are  good."  Yea,  and  there  m&y  be  this  more  par- 
ticular effect  of  what  we  do  5  while  we  employ  our 
invention  for  the  interests  of  God,  it  is  very  probable 
that  we  shall  sharpen  it  for  our  own.  We  shall  be- 
come the  more  wise  for  ourselves,  because  we  have 
been  "  wise  to  do  good."  And  of  the  man  who  is  com- 
pared to  a  "tree  that  brings  forth  fruit,"  we  read, 
"  Whatsoever  he  doeth  shall  prosper."  Nor  can  a  man 
take  a  readier  way  to  "live  joyfully  all  the  days  of  the 
life  of  his  vanity,  which  God  hath  given  him  under 
the  sun ;"  for,  in  this  case,  our  life  will  not  be  thrown 
away  in  "  vanity,"  nor  shall  we  live  "in  vain."  My 
friend,  "go  thy  way,"  and  be  joyful,  "for  God  ac- 
cepteth  thy  works."  Our  "few  and  evil"  days  are 
rendered  much  less  so,  by  our  doing  good  in  every  one 
of  them,  as  it  rolls  over  our  heads;  yea,  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  who  is  the  quickener  of  those  who  "  do 
good  without  ceasing,"  will  also  be  their  comforter. 
Every  day  in  which  we  are  active  for  the  kingdom  of 
God,  will  be  in  some  measure  a  day  of  Pentecost  to 
us ;  a  day  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  coming  upon  us.  The 
"consolations  of  God"  will  not  be  "small"  with  the 
man  who  is  full  of  contrivances  for  God,  and  for  his 
kingdom.  Indeed,  the  pleasure  that  is  experienced  in 
the  performance  of  good  actions  is  inexpressible,  is 
unparalleled,  is  angelical;  it  is  a  most  refined  pleasure, 
more  to  be  envied  than  any  sensual  gratification.  Plea- 
sure was  long  since  defined,  "  the  result  of  some  excel- 
lent action."  This  pleasure  is  a  sort  of  lioly  luxury. 
Most  pitiable  are  they  who  will  continue  strangers 
to  it! 

When  the  useful  man  comes  to  his  hour  of  departure, 
then  he,  who  lived  beloved,  shall  die  lamented.  It  shall 
be  witnessed  and  remembered  of  him,  "that  he  was 


CONCLUSION. 


107 


one  who  did  good  in  Israel"— an  epitaph,  the  glory  of 
which  is  far  beyond  that  of  the  most  stately  pyramid. 
Then  the  calumniators,  who  once  endeavored  to  de- 
stroy his  reputation,  shall  have  nothing  to  reflect  upon 
but  the  impotence  of  their  own  defeated  malice. 

But  what  shall  be  done  for  this  good  man  in  the  hea- 
venly world  1  His  part  and  his  work  in  the  city  of 
God,  are  at  present  incomprehensible  to  us ;  but  the 
"kindness"  which  his  God  will  show  to  him  in  the 
"strong  city,"  will  be  truly  "marvellous."  Austin, 
writing  on  this  subject,  exclaimed,  "How  great  will  be 
the  felicity  of  that  city,  where  no  evil  will  be  seen,  no 
good  concealed !"  The  attempts  which  the  Christian 
has  made  to  fill  this  world  with  "righteous  things," 
are  so  many  tokens  for  good  to  him,  that  he  sljall  have 
a  portion  in  that  world  wherein  shall  dwell  nothing 
but  "righteousness."  He  will  be  introduced  into  that 
world,  with  a  sentence  from  the  mouth  of  the  glorious 
Jesus,  which  will  be  worth  ten  thousand  worlds: — 
"Weil  done,  good  and  faithful  servant !"  And  O  what 
shall  be  done  for  him !  He  has  done  what  he  could  for 
the  honor  of  the  King  of  heaven ;  and  jevery  thing 
shall  be  done  for  him,  that  can  be  done  for  one  whom 
the  King  of  heaven  "delighteth  to  honor." 

I  will  give  you  the  whole  summed  up  in  one  word : 
*' Mercy  and  truth  shall  be  to  them  that  devise  good." 
Ye  children  of  God,  there  is  a  character  of  "mercy  and 
truth"  in  all  the  good  that  you  devise.  You  devise 
how  to  deal  mercifully  and  truly  with  every  one,  and 
to  induce  every  one  to  do  so  too.  And  the  mercy  and 
truth  of  God,  which  are  for  ever  engaged  on  your  be- 
half, will  suffer  you  in  this  life  to  "lack  no  good  thing," 
and  will  hereafter  do  you  good  beyond  what  the  heart 
of  man  can  conceive.  A  faithful  God  has  promised 
it—"  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it." 


103  CONCLUSION. 

I  remember  what  Calvin  said  v/hen  the  order  for  his 
banishment  from  ungrateful  Geneva  was  brought  to 
him :  "  Most  assuredly,  if  J  had  merely  served  man, 
this  would  have  been  a  poor  recompense;  but  it  is  my 
happiness  that  I  have  served  Him  who  never  fails  to 
reward  his  servants  to  the  full  extent  of  his  promise." 

I  will  conclude  with  a  declaration  which  I  will  bold- 
ly maintain :  it  is  this :  Were  a  man  able  to  write  in 
seven  languages;  could  he  daily  converse  with  the 
sweets  of  all  the  liberal  sciences  to  which  the  most  ac- 
complished men  make  pretensions  ;  were  he  to  enter- 
tain himself  with  all  ancient  and  modern  history  ;  and 
could  he  feast  continually  on  the  curiosities  which  the 
different  branches  of  learning  may  discover  to  him: — 
all  this  would  not  afford  the  ravishing  satisfaction 
which  he  might  find  in  relieving  the  distresses  of  a 
poor,  miserable  neighbor ;  nor  would  it  bear  any  com- 
parison with  the  heartfelt  delight  which  he  might  ob- 
tain by  doing  an  extensive  service  to  the  kingdom  of 
our  Savior  in  the  world,  or  by  exerting  his  efforts  to 
redress  the  miseries  under  which  mankind  is  generally 
languishing. 


THE   END. 


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Princeton  Theological 


1    1012  01004  6698 


